Review of Life Cycle Assessments for Steel and Environmental Analysis of Future Steel Production Scenarios

The steel industry is focused on reducing its environmental impact. Using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, the impacts of the primary steel production via the blast furnace route and the scrap-based secondary steel production via the EAF route are assessed. In order to achieve environmen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sustainability 2022-11, Vol.14 (21), p.14131
Main Authors: Suer, Julian, Traverso, Marzia, Jäger, Nils
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Blast furnace gas
Blast furnace practice
Carbon dioxide
Carbon footprint
Decarbonization
Direct reduction plants
Emissions
Environment
Environmental aspects
Environmental impact
Environmental sustainability
Furnaces
Greenhouse effect
Greenhouse gases
Hydrogen reduction
Iron compounds
Iron ores
Life cycle assessment
Metallurgy
Power plants
Production management
Recycling
Reduction (metal working)
Scrap
Scrap iron
Steel industry
Steel production
Steel products
Sustainability
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Summary:The steel industry is focused on reducing its environmental impact. Using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, the impacts of the primary steel production via the blast furnace route and the scrap-based secondary steel production via the EAF route are assessed. In order to achieve environmentally friendly steel production, breakthrough technologies have to be implemented. With a shift from primary to secondary steel production, the increasing steel demand is not met due to insufficient scrap availability. In this paper, special focus is given on recycling methodologies for metals and steel. The decarbonization of the steel industry requires a shift from a coal-based metallurgy towards a hydrogen and electricity-based metallurgy. Interim scenarios like the injection of hydrogen and the use of pre-reduced iron ores in a blast furnace can already reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions up to 200 kg CO2/t hot metal. Direct reduction plants combined with electrical melting units/furnaces offer the opportunity to minimize GHG emissions. The results presented give guidance to the steel industry and policy makers on how much renewable electric energy is required for the decarbonization of the steel industry.
ISSN:2071-1050
2071-1050
DOI:10.3390/su142114131