Pathways for Low-Carbon Transition of the Steel Industry—A Swedish Case Study

Alla Toktarova,Filip Johnsson,Lisa Göransson,Johan Rootzén,Ida Karlsson,Mikael Odenberger

doi:10.3390/en13153840

Alla Toktarova, Filip Johnsson + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/en13153840

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Abstract

The concept of techno-economic pathways is used to investigate the potential implementation of CO2 abatement measures over time towards zero-emission steelmaking in Sweden. The following mitigation measures are investigated and combined in three pathways: top gas recycling blast furnace (TGRBF); carbon capture and storage (CCS); substitution of pulverized coal injection (PCI) with biomass; hydrogen direct reduction of iron ore (H-DR); and electric arc furnace (EAF), where fossil fuels are replaced with biomass. The results show that CCS in combination with biomass substitution in the blast furnace and a replacement primary steel production plant with EAF with biomass (Pathway 1) yield CO2 emission reductions of 83% in 2045 compared to CO2 emissions with current steel process configurations. Electrification of the primary steel production in terms of H-DR/EAF process (Pathway 2), could result in almost fossil-free steel production, and Sweden could achieve a 10% reduction in total CO2 emissions. Finally, (Pathway 3) we show that increased production of hot briquetted iron pellets (HBI), could lead to decarbonization of the steel industry outside Sweden, assuming that the exported HBI will be converted via EAF and the receiving country has a decarbonized power sector.

Highlights

In Sweden, the industrial sector is responsible for over a third of the total energy demand.In 2017, the iron and steel industry was the largest industrial consumer of fossil fuels and the resulting CO2 emissions corresponded to 38% of the total industrial CO2 emissions in Sweden [1]
To assess the techno-economic potential of the CO2 emissions reduction in the steel industry the following CO2 emission reduction measures were selected and investigated: top gas recycling blast furnace (TGRBF); carbon capture and storage (CCS); substitution of pulverized coal injection (PCI) with biomass; steelmaking process with hydrogen direct reduction of iron ore (H-DR) and an electric arc furnace (EAF); and a secondary steel production route with EAF, where fossil fuels are replaced with biomass
By the year 2030 the current primary steel production technology is replaced by a combination of TGRBF and CCS technologies and the replacement of the coal for PCI with biomass

Summary

Introduction

In Sweden, the industrial sector is responsible for over a third of the total energy demand. In 2017, the iron and steel industry was the largest industrial consumer of fossil fuels (natural gas, oil, coal and coke) and the resulting CO2 emissions corresponded to 38% of the total industrial CO2 emissions in Sweden [1]. Through this new framework, Sweden has formally committed to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 compared to the level in 1990, translating into at least 85% reduction in emissions with the remaining emission reduction to be taken by bio-carbon capture and storage (CCS), land-use change and measures in other countries. The Swedish steel-producing sector is facing the challenge of changing current energy carriers and implementing low carbon technologies to meet these targets

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