Decarbonization Pathways, Strategies, and Use Cases to Achieve Net-Zero CO 2 Emissions in the Steelmaking Industry

Josué Rodríguez Diez (), Silvia Tomé-Torquemada, Asier Vicente, Jon Reyes and G. Alonso Orcajo
Additional contact information
Josué Rodríguez Diez: ArcelorMittal Global R&D Basque Country Research Centre, 48910 Sestao, Spain
Silvia Tomé-Torquemada: ArcelorMittal Global R&D Basque Country Research Centre, 48910 Sestao, Spain
Asier Vicente: ArcelorMittal Global R&D Basque Country Research Centre, 48910 Sestao, Spain
Jon Reyes: ArcelorMittal Global R&D Basque Country Research Centre, 48910 Sestao, Spain
G. Alonso Orcajo: Electrical Engineering Department, University of Oviedo, 33204 Gijón, Spain

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 21, 1-31

Abstract: The steelmaking industry is responsible for 7% of global CO 2 emissions, making decarbonization a significant challenge. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of current steel-production processes, assessing their environmental impact in terms of CO 2 emissions at a global level. Limitations of the current pathways are outlined by using objective criteria and a detailed review of the relevant literature. Decarbonization strategies are rigorously evaluated across various scenarios, emphasizing technology feasibility. Focusing on three pivotal areas—scrap utilization, hydrogen integration, and electricity consumption—in-depth assessments are provided, backed by notable contributions from both industrial and scientific fields. The intricate interplay of technical, economic, and regulatory considerations substantially affects CO 2 emissions, particularly considering the EU Emissions Trading System. Leading steel producers have established challenging targets for achieving carbon neutrality, requiring a thorough evaluation of industry practices. This paper emphasizes tactics to be employed within short-, medium-, and long-term periods. This article explores two distinct case studies: One involves a hot rolling mill that utilizes advanced energy techniques and uses H 2 for the reheating furnace, resulting in a reduction of 229 kt CO 2 -eq per year. The second case examines DRI production incorporating H 2 and achieves over 90% CO 2 reduction per ton of DRI.

Keywords: decarbonization; steelmaking industry; renewable energy; green hydrogen; CO 2 reduction; scrap; energy efficiency strategies; hydrogen integration; steel production; DRI (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/21/7360/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/21/7360/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:21:p:7360-:d:1271728

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().