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Decarbonising the iron and steel sector for a 2 °C target using inherent waste streams

Author

Listed:
  • Yongqi Sun

    (Southern University of Science and Technology
    The University of Queensland)

  • Sicong Tian

    (The University of Queensland)

  • Philippe Ciais

    (Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, UMR 1572 CEA-CNRS UVSQ)

  • Zhenzhong Zeng

    (Southern University of Science and Technology)

  • Jing Meng

    (University College London)

  • Zuotai Zhang

    (Southern University of Science and Technology
    The Key Laboratory of Municipal Solid Waste Recycling Technology and Management of Shenzhen City)

Abstract

The decarbonisation of the iron and steel industry, contributing approximately 8% of current global anthropogenic CO2 emissions, is challenged by the persistently growing global steel demand and limitations of techno-economically feasible options for low-carbon steelmaking. Here we explore the inherent potential of recovering energy and re-using materials from waste streams, high-temperature slag, and re-investing the revenues for carbon capture and storage. In a pathway based on energy recovery and resource recycling of glassy blast furnace slag and crystalline steel slag, we show that a reduction of 28.5 ± 5.7% CO2 emissions to the sectoral 2 °C target requirements in the iron and steel industry could be realized in 2050 under strong decarbonization policy consistent with low warming targets. The technological schemes applied to engineer this high-potential pathway could generate a revenue of US$35 ± 16 and US$40 ± 18 billion globally in 2035 and 2050, respectively. If this revenue is used for carbon capture and storage implementation, equivalent CO2 emission to the 2 °C sectoral target requirements is expected to be reduced before 2050, without any external investments.

Suggested Citation

  • Yongqi Sun & Sicong Tian & Philippe Ciais & Zhenzhong Zeng & Jing Meng & Zuotai Zhang, 2022. "Decarbonising the iron and steel sector for a 2 °C target using inherent waste streams," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-27770-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27770-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Joeri Rogelj & Michel den Elzen & Niklas Höhne & Taryn Fransen & Hanna Fekete & Harald Winkler & Roberto Schaeffer & Fu Sha & Keywan Riahi & Malte Meinshausen, 2016. "Paris Agreement climate proposals need a boost to keep warming well below 2 °C," Nature, Nature, vol. 534(7609), pages 631-639, June.
    2. Sicong Tian & Jianguo Jiang & Zuotai Zhang & Vasilije Manovic, 2018. "Inherent potential of steelmaking to contribute to decarbonisation targets via industrial carbon capture and storage," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-8, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Wu, Junjun & Tan, Yu & Li, Peng & Wang, Hong & Zhu, Xun & Liao, Qiang, 2022. "Centrifugal-Granulation-Assisted thermal energy recovery towards low-carbon blast furnace slag treatment: State of the art and future challenges," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 325(C).
    2. Somnath Guria & Dependu Dolui & Chandan Das & Santanu Ghorai & Vikram Vishal & Debabrata Maiti & Goutam Kumar Lahiri & Arnab Dutta, 2023. "Energy-efficient CO2/CO interconversion by homogeneous copper-based molecular catalysts," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.

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