Ways to reduce CO2 emissions in the iron and steel industry in Europe

The key ways to reduce CO2 emissions in iron and steelmaking can be summarized under the general terms “Smart Carbon Usage” (SCU) and “Carbon Direct Avoidance” (CDA). SCU covers on the basis of carbon carriers as reductant incremental measures at the conventional blast furnace converter route and the CO2 mitigation measures by applying so-called “end-of-pipe” technologies like CCS (CO2 Capture and Storage) and CCU (Carbon Capture and Usage). CDA covers the scrap based electric arc furnace route and the iron ore based steelmaking route via direct reduction plants and electric arc furnaces by the use of natural gas and/or hydrogen as reducing agent, which means the complete avoidance of coal and coke for the reduction of iron ores. The application of CCU at the conventional blast furnace converter route, which means the conversion of process gases into chemical raw materials, as well as the implementation of the direct reduction technology with hydrogen and subsequent smelting of the DRI (Direct Reduced Iron) to steel in an electric arc furnace or in a combination of a submerged arc furnace and basic oxygen steel converter require an immense amount of hydrogen and CO2-free electric energy. © 2022, VDI Verlag GMBH. All rights reserved.