罗兰贝格-欧洲钢铁业的困境（英文）-2020.5-16页_1mb

Summary of "The Future of Steelmaking – How the European Steel Industry Can Achieve Carbon Neutrality"

Core Content

The European steelmaking industry is a major contributor to the EU's carbon emissions, accounting for approximately 4% of total emissions and 22% of industrial emissions. 60% of steel is produced via the primary route, which involves processing iron ore into pig iron and then steel using blast furnaces (BF) and basic oxygen furnaces (BOF). This route is highly carbon-intensive, with 90% of emissions coming from upstream operations like coke and iron production. The remaining 40% is produced via the secondary route, using electric arc furnaces (EAF) and scrap metal, and emits mainly indirect greenhouse gases depending on the electricity mix.

The industry is under pressure to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, in line with EU climate goals. While current carbon mitigation techniques are in use, they are not sufficient to eliminate emissions. The report outlines the development and implementation of new technologies that can enable carbon-neutral steelmaking.

Main Technologies and Their Potential

1. Carbon Capture, Use and/or Storage (CCUS)

• How it works: CO₂ is captured from emissions and either stored or used (e.g., as fuel).
• Pros:
  • Can be integrated into existing plants.
  • Other industries can share development and infrastructure costs.
  • Operating costs are largely predictable.
• Cons:
  • CCUS alone is not carbon neutral, capturing only about 90% of CO₂.
  • Public acceptance of carbon storage is uncertain.
  • Transportation of CO₂ is costly and logistically complex.
• Pilot projects:
  • Carbon2Chem: Uses emissions to produce synthetic fuel (not yet carbon neutral).
  • Biomass-based ironmaking with CCUS: Offers 28% emission reduction potential in pilot studies.

2. Alternative Reduction Technologies

These technologies aim to replace traditional carbon reductants (like coke and natural gas) with hydrogen (H₂) or electric current, potentially enabling fully green steel production.

2.1 H₂-based Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) – Shaft Furnace

• How it works: Iron ore pellets are reduced using hydrogen in a shaft furnace to produce DRI, which is then used in EAF or as HBI in BF-BOF systems.
• Pros:
  • Can be used in existing brownfield plants.
  • Offers short-term emission reductions and operational flexibility.
  • Can be powered by green electricity to achieve carbon neutrality.
• Cons:
  • Requires green hydrogen and green electricity.
  • High CAPEX and operational costs.
  • Germany would need to import hydrogen or pre-processed iron if green energy production is insufficient.
• Pilot projects:
  • Project GrInHy 2.0: Aims to develop the world’s largest H₂ electrolyzer for use in MIDREX and HYL processes.

2.2 H₂-based DRI – Fluidized Bed

• How it works: Uses finely processed iron ore powders (fines) in a fluidized bed reactor instead of pellets.
• Pros:
  • Eliminates pelletizing, reducing costs and emissions.
  • Higher metallization rates (approx. 95% to 90%).
• Cons:
  • Less developed than shaft furnace DRI.
  • High CAPEX and operational costs.
  • Still requires green electricity.
• Pilot projects:
  • Circored process at Outokumpu’s plant in Trinidad and Tobago (currently idle).

2.3 Suspension Ironmaking

• How it works: Iron ore is ground to ultrafine particles and reduced in a flash reactor using hydrogen, directly producing steel.
• Pros:
  • Eliminates preprocessing steps (sintering, pelletizing).
  • Produces "cleaner" steel with fewer impurities.
• Cons:
  • Still experimental with no large-scale reactor tests.
  • High energy intensity and maintenance requirements.
• Pilot projects:
  • University of Utah: Conducted lab-scale tests and is developing reactor designs for industrial use.

2.4 Plasma Direct Steel Production

• How it works: Uses hydrogen plasma to reduce iron ore, either in raw or processed form, and add carbon to produce steel.
• Pros:
  • Eliminates need for preprocessing.
  • Potentially lower reactor temperatures.
  • Offers higher product quality and production flexibility.
• Cons:
  • Early development stage.
  • No proven commercial viability.
• Pilot projects:
  • voestalpine: Built a small pilot reactor as part of its SuSteel project.

2.5 Electrolytic Processes

• How it works: Two methods – electrolysis and electrowinning – use electricity to reduce iron ore to liquid steel.
• Pros:
  • Skip upstream carbon-intensive steps.
  • Potentially low CAPEX.
• Cons:
  • Still in laboratory testing.
  • High energy demand and inflexibility.
  • Green electricity remains expensive and storage limited.
• Pilot projects:
  • ULCOS project: Demonstrated lab-scale high-temperature electrolysis for steel production.

Key Recommendations

• H₂-based shaft furnace DRI is identified as the most viable and ready-to-implement technology for achieving carbon neutrality in the primary steelmaking route.
• This technology can be integrated into existing plants and offers operational continuity during the transition.
• However, it requires significant investment in green energy infrastructure and CAPEX.
• The EU must support the development of green hydrogen and electricity production to ensure the feasibility of this transition.
• Without political and financial backing, the European steel industry may face outsourcing of value chains to countries with cheaper energy and fewer regulations.

Conclusion

The European steel industry is at a crossroads, with a pressing need to transition to carbon-neutral production methods. While several emerging technologies offer potential, H₂-based shaft furnace DRI is the most developed and practical option. Its success depends on green energy availability, government support, and industrial investment. The report emphasizes the importance of policy alignment, long-term planning, and international cooperation to ensure a sustainable and competitive future for European steelmaking.