The prospects for ‘green steel’ making in a net-zero economy: A UK perspective

Paul Griffin; Geoffrey Hammond

doi:10.1016/j.glt.2021.03.001

The prospects for ‘green steel’ making in a net-zero economy: A UK perspective

Paul Griffin
, Geoffrey Hammond

Department of Mechanical Engineering

CDP

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

60 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Steel products are widely used in the construction industry and for the development of infrastructure projects, because they are versatile, durable, and affordable. Energy demand and ‘greenhouse gas’ (GHG) emissions associated with the United Kingdom (UK) Iron & Steel sector principally result from the large consumption of coal/coke used in conjunction with the blast furnace. Like other sectors of industry, efforts are being made to ensure that processing becomes ever more environmentally benign, or ‘green’. Thus, the notion of ‘green steel’ has entered into the industrial vocabulary over the last decade or so. It is a steel-making process designed principally to lower GHG emissions, as well as potentially cutting costs and improving the quality of steel, in comparison to conventional methods. The aim of this study was therefore to (i) elicit the various ways in which the term ‘green steel’ has recently been used in the literature; and (ii) compare and contrast different options for making UK steel production more environmentally benign, particularly in regard to its decarbonisation. Some key ‘deep decarbonisation’, or ‘disruptive’, options for producing green steel in the UK are evaluated drawing on the experience from other nation-states and regions. These include the prospects for carbon capture and storage (CCS), the use of bioenergy resources, hydrogen-based production, electrification, and the least desirable option of deindustrialisation (i.e., reducing or out-sourcing of UK steel production ‘offshore’). ‘Circular economy’ interventions or resource efficiency improvements (‘reduce, reuse, recycle’) are also discussed. The potential reductions in GHG emissions from the UK Iron & Steel sector overall out to 2050 are then illustrated by comparison with previous technology roadmaps or transition pathways. The lessons learned are applicable across much of the industrialised world.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	72-86
Journal	Global Transitions
Volume	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.glt.2021.03.001
Publication status	Published - 4 Apr 2021

Funding

The work reported forms part of a programme of research at the University of Bath on industrial decarbonisation that has been supported by a series of UK research grants and contracts awarded by various bodies associated with the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Energy Programme for which the second author (GPH) was the holder. Research reported here originally formed a part of the ‘core’ research programme of the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) ; Phase 2 [under Grant NE/G007748/1 ]. The first author (PWG) undertook his original contribution to these studies as part of a UKERC flexible funding project entitled ‘Industrial Energy Use from a Bottom-up Perspective’ [for which the second author (GPH) was the Principal Investigator]. The second (GPH) author then worked in the field of industrial energy use and carbon emissions reduction supported by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) ‘End Use Energy Demand’ (EUED) Programme, as part of the Centre for Industrial Energy, Materials and Products (CIE-MAP) [under Grant EP/N022645/1 ], as one of its Co-Directors. The work reported forms part of a programme of research at the University of Bath on industrial decarbonisation that has been supported by a series of UK research grants and contracts awarded by various bodies associated with the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Energy Programme for which the second author (GPH) was the holder. Research reported here originally formed a part of the ?core? research programme of the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC); Phase 2 [under Grant NE/G007748/1]. The first author (PWG) undertook his original contribution to these studies as part of a UKERC flexible funding project entitled ?Industrial Energy Use from a Bottom-up Perspective? [for which the second author (GPH) was the Principal Investigator]. The second (GPH) author then worked in the field of industrial energy use and carbon emissions reduction supported by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) ?End Use Energy Demand? (EUED) Programme, as part of the Centre for Industrial Energy, Materials and Products (CIE-MAP) [under Grant EP/N022645/1], as one of its Co-Directors. The authors? names are listed alphabetically.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production

Keywords

Green steel
‘Greenhouse gas’ emissions
Decarbonisation options
Circular thinking
Technology roadmaps or transition pathways
United Kingdom

Access to Document

10.1016/j.glt.2021.03.001Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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title = "The prospects for {\textquoteleft}green steel{\textquoteright} making in a net-zero economy: A UK perspective",

abstract = "Steel products are widely used in the construction industry and for the development of infrastructure projects, because they are versatile, durable, and affordable. Energy demand and {\textquoteleft}greenhouse gas{\textquoteright} (GHG) emissions associated with the United Kingdom (UK) Iron \& Steel sector principally result from the large consumption of coal/coke used in conjunction with the blast furnace. Like other sectors of industry, efforts are being made to ensure that processing becomes ever more environmentally benign, or {\textquoteleft}green{\textquoteright}. Thus, the notion of {\textquoteleft}green steel{\textquoteright} has entered into the industrial vocabulary over the last decade or so. It is a steel-making process designed principally to lower GHG emissions, as well as potentially cutting costs and improving the quality of steel, in comparison to conventional methods. The aim of this study was therefore to (i) elicit the various ways in which the term {\textquoteleft}green steel{\textquoteright} has recently been used in the literature; and (ii) compare and contrast different options for making UK steel production more environmentally benign, particularly in regard to its decarbonisation. Some key {\textquoteleft}deep decarbonisation{\textquoteright}, or {\textquoteleft}disruptive{\textquoteright}, options for producing green steel in the UK are evaluated drawing on the experience from other nation-states and regions. These include the prospects for carbon capture and storage (CCS), the use of bioenergy resources, hydrogen-based production, electrification, and the least desirable option of deindustrialisation (i.e., reducing or out-sourcing of UK steel production {\textquoteleft}offshore{\textquoteright}). {\textquoteleft}Circular economy{\textquoteright} interventions or resource efficiency improvements ({\textquoteleft}reduce, reuse, recycle{\textquoteright}) are also discussed. The potential reductions in GHG emissions from the UK Iron \& Steel sector overall out to 2050 are then illustrated by comparison with previous technology roadmaps or transition pathways. The lessons learned are applicable across much of the industrialised world.",

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ER -

The prospects for ‘green steel’ making in a net-zero economy: A UK perspective

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

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