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The Bio Steel Cycle: 7 Steps to Net-Zero CO 2 Emissions Steel Production

Author

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  • Sandra Kiessling

    (Department of Engineering, Staffordshire University, Mellor Building, College Road, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 2DE, UK)

  • Hamidreza Gohari Darabkhani

    (Department of Engineering, Staffordshire University, Mellor Building, College Road, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 2DE, UK)

  • Abdel-Hamid Soliman

    (Department of Engineering, Staffordshire University, Mellor Building, College Road, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 2DE, UK)

Abstract

CO 2 emissions have been identified as the main driver for climate change, with devastating consequences for the global natural environment. The steel industry is responsible for ~7–11% of global CO 2 emissions, due to high fossil-fuel and energy consumption. The onus is therefore on industry to remedy the environmental damage caused and to decarbonise production. This desk research report explores the Bio Steel Cycle (BiSC) and proposes a seven-step-strategy to overcome the emission challenges within the iron and steel industry. The true levels of combined CO 2 emissions from the blast-furnace and basic-oxygen-furnace operation, at 4.61 t of CO 2 emissions/t of steel produced, are calculated in detail. The BiSC includes CO 2 capture, implementing renewable energy sources (solar, wind, green H 2 ) and plantation for CO 2 absorption and provision of biomass. The 7-step-implementation-strategy starts with replacing energy sources, develops over process improvement and installation of flue gas carbon capture, and concludes with utilising biogas-derived hydrogen, as a product from anaerobic digestion of the grown agrifood in the cycle. In the past, CO 2 emissions have been seemingly underreported and underestimated in the heavy industries, and implementing the BiSC, using the provided seven-steps-strategy will potentially result in achieving net-zero CO 2 emissions in steel manufacturing by 2030.

Suggested Citation

  • Sandra Kiessling & Hamidreza Gohari Darabkhani & Abdel-Hamid Soliman, 2022. "The Bio Steel Cycle: 7 Steps to Net-Zero CO 2 Emissions Steel Production," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-22, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:23:p:8880-:d:982849
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