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Low-Carbon Development for the Iron and Steel Industry in China and the World: Status Quo, Future Vision, and Key Actions

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  • Yuancheng Lin

    (Tsinghua-BP Clean Energy Research and Education Centre, State Key Laboratory of Power Systems, Department of Energy and Power Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
    Tsinghua-Rio Tinto Joint Research Centre for Resources, Energy and Sustainable Development, Laboratory for Low Carbon Energy, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

  • Honghua Yang

    (Tsinghua-BP Clean Energy Research and Education Centre, State Key Laboratory of Power Systems, Department of Energy and Power Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
    Tsinghua-Rio Tinto Joint Research Centre for Resources, Energy and Sustainable Development, Laboratory for Low Carbon Energy, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

  • Linwei Ma

    (Tsinghua-BP Clean Energy Research and Education Centre, State Key Laboratory of Power Systems, Department of Energy and Power Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
    Tsinghua-Rio Tinto Joint Research Centre for Resources, Energy and Sustainable Development, Laboratory for Low Carbon Energy, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

  • Zheng Li

    (Tsinghua-BP Clean Energy Research and Education Centre, State Key Laboratory of Power Systems, Department of Energy and Power Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

  • Weidou Ni

    (Tsinghua-BP Clean Energy Research and Education Centre, State Key Laboratory of Power Systems, Department of Energy and Power Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

Abstract

The low-carbon development of China’s iron and steel industry (ISI) is important but challenging work for the attainment of China’s carbon neutrality by 2060. However, most previous studies related to the low-carbon development of China’s ISI are fragmented from different views such as production-side mitigation, demand-side mitigation, or mitigation technologies. Additionally, there is still a lack of a comprehensive overview of the long-term pathway to the low-carbon development of China’s ISI. To respond to this gap and to contribute to better guide policymaking in China, this paper conducted a timely and comprehensive review following the technology roadmap framework covering the status quo, future vision, and key actions of the low-carbon development of the world and China’s ISI. First, this paper provides an overview of the technology roadmap of low-carbon development around the main steel production countries in the world. Second, the potential for key decarbonization actions available for China’s ISI are evaluated in detail. Third, policy and research recommendations are put forward for the future low-carbon development of China’s ISI. Through this comprehensive review, four key actions can be applied to the low-carbon development of China’s ISI: improving energy efficiency, shifting to Scrap/EAF route, promoting material efficiency strategy, and deploying radical innovation technologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuancheng Lin & Honghua Yang & Linwei Ma & Zheng Li & Weidou Ni, 2021. "Low-Carbon Development for the Iron and Steel Industry in China and the World: Status Quo, Future Vision, and Key Actions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-28, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:22:p:12548-:d:678432
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    Cited by:

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    5. Harvey, L.D. Danny, 2024. "A bottom-up assessment of recent (2016–20) energy use by the global iron and steel industry constrained to match a top-down (International Energy Agency) assessment," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 293(C).
    6. Liu, Dachuan & Wang, Pu & Sun, Yan & Zhang, Huawei & Xu, Shanqing, 2024. "Co-abatement of carbon and air pollutants emissions in China’s iron and steel industry under carbon neutrality scenarios," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    7. Guofeng Wang & Rui Shi & Wei Cheng & Lihua Gao & Xiankai Huang, 2023. "Bibliometric Analysis for Carbon Neutrality with Hotspots, Frontiers, and Emerging Trends between 1991 and 2022," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-23, January.
    8. Lin, Yuancheng & Chong, Chin Hao & Ma, Linwei & Li, Zheng & Ni, Weidou, 2022. "Quantification of waste heat potential in China: A top-down Societal Waste Heat Accounting Model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).

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