The prospects for ‘green steel’ making in a net-zero economy: A UK perspective

Q1 Social Sciences Global Transitions Pub Date : 2021-01-01 DOI:10.1016/j.glt.2021.03.001
Paul W. Griffin , Geoffrey P. Hammond
{"title":"The prospects for ‘green steel’ making in a net-zero economy: A UK perspective","authors":"Paul W. Griffin ,&nbsp;Geoffrey P. Hammond","doi":"10.1016/j.glt.2021.03.001","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Steel products are widely used in the construction industry and for the development of infrastructure projects, because they are versatile, durable, and affordable. Energy demand and ‘greenhouse gas’ (GHG) emissions associated with the <em>United Kingdom</em> (UK) <em>Iron &amp; Steel</em> sector principally result from the large consumption of coal/coke used in conjunction with the blast furnace. Like other sectors of industry, efforts are being made to ensure that processing becomes ever more environmentally benign, or ‘green’. Thus, the notion of ‘<em>green steel</em>’ has entered into the industrial vocabulary over the last decade or so. It is a steel-making process designed principally to lower GHG emissions, as well as potentially cutting costs and improving the quality of steel, in comparison to conventional methods. The aim of this study was therefore to (i) elicit the various ways in which the term ‘<em>green steel</em>’ has recently been used in the literature; and (ii) compare and contrast different options for making UK steel production more environmentally benign, particularly in regard to its decarbonisation. Some key ‘deep decarbonisation’, or ‘disruptive’, options for producing <em>green steel</em> in the UK are evaluated drawing on the experience from other nation-states and regions. These include the prospects for <em>carbon capture and storage</em> (CCS), the use of <em>bioenergy resources</em>, <em>hydrogen-based production</em>, <em>electrification</em>, and the least desirable option of <em>deindustrialisation</em> (i.e., reducing or out-sourcing of UK steel production ‘offshore’). ‘Circular economy’ interventions or resource efficiency improvements (‘reduce, reuse, recycle’) are also discussed. The potential reductions in GHG emissions from the UK <em>Iron &amp; Steel</em> sector overall out to 2050 are then illustrated by comparison with previous technology roadmaps or transition pathways. The lessons learned are applicable across much of the industrialised world.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":33615,"journal":{"name":"Global Transitions","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.glt.2021.03.001","citationCount":"19","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Global Transitions","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589791821000013","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"Social Sciences","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 19

Abstract

Steel products are widely used in the construction industry and for the development of infrastructure projects, because they are versatile, durable, and affordable. Energy demand and ‘greenhouse gas’ (GHG) emissions associated with the United Kingdom (UK) Iron & Steel sector principally result from the large consumption of coal/coke used in conjunction with the blast furnace. Like other sectors of industry, efforts are being made to ensure that processing becomes ever more environmentally benign, or ‘green’. Thus, the notion of ‘green steel’ has entered into the industrial vocabulary over the last decade or so. It is a steel-making process designed principally to lower GHG emissions, as well as potentially cutting costs and improving the quality of steel, in comparison to conventional methods. The aim of this study was therefore to (i) elicit the various ways in which the term ‘green steel’ has recently been used in the literature; and (ii) compare and contrast different options for making UK steel production more environmentally benign, particularly in regard to its decarbonisation. Some key ‘deep decarbonisation’, or ‘disruptive’, options for producing green steel in the UK are evaluated drawing on the experience from other nation-states and regions. These include the prospects for carbon capture and storage (CCS), the use of bioenergy resources, hydrogen-based production, electrification, and the least desirable option of deindustrialisation (i.e., reducing or out-sourcing of UK steel production ‘offshore’). ‘Circular economy’ interventions or resource efficiency improvements (‘reduce, reuse, recycle’) are also discussed. The potential reductions in GHG emissions from the UK Iron & Steel sector overall out to 2050 are then illustrated by comparison with previous technology roadmaps or transition pathways. The lessons learned are applicable across much of the industrialised world.

查看原文
分享 分享
微信好友 朋友圈 QQ好友 复制链接
本刊更多论文
净零经济中“绿色钢铁”制造的前景:英国视角
钢铁产品广泛用于建筑行业和基础设施项目的开发,因为它们用途广泛,耐用,价格合理。能源需求和与英国(UK)钢铁相关的温室气体(GHG)排放钢铁行业主要是由于大量消耗的煤/焦炭与高炉一起使用。与其他工业部门一样,正在努力确保加工变得更加环保,或“绿色”。因此,“绿色钢铁”的概念在过去十年左右的时间里进入了工业词汇。这是一种炼钢工艺,主要是为了降低温室气体排放,与传统方法相比,还可能降低成本,提高钢材质量。因此,本研究的目的是(i)引出最近在文献中使用“绿色钢铁”一词的各种方式;(ii)比较和对比使英国钢铁生产更加环保的不同选择,特别是在脱碳方面。根据其他民族国家和地区的经验,对英国生产绿色钢铁的一些关键“深度脱碳”或“破坏性”选择进行了评估。其中包括碳捕获和储存(CCS)的前景、生物能源的使用、氢基生产、电气化,以及最不理想的去工业化选择(即减少或外包英国的钢铁生产“离岸”)。“循环经济”干预或资源效率的提高(“减少、再利用、再循环”)也被讨论。英国钢铁公司(UK Iron &;然后通过与以前的技术路线图或过渡路径进行比较,说明到2050年钢铁行业的总体情况。这些经验教训适用于大部分工业化国家。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
求助全文
约1分钟内获得全文 去求助
来源期刊
Global Transitions
Global Transitions Social Sciences-Development
CiteScore
18.90
自引率
0.00%
发文量
1
审稿时长
20 weeks
期刊最新文献
Reduction in inpatient and severe condition visits for respiratory diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, China Cancer as a global health crisis with deep evolutionary roots Exploring the nexus: Comparing and aligning Planetary Health, One Health, and EcoHealth The impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic exposure on current and future worldwide environmental protection across 18 nations in 6 continents The role of physical function and physical activity on cognitive function in the elderly
×
引用
GB/T 7714-2015
复制
MLA
复制
APA
复制
导出至
BibTeX EndNote RefMan NoteFirst NoteExpress
×
×
提示
您的信息不完整,为了账户安全,请先补充。
现在去补充
×
提示
您因"违规操作"
具体请查看互助需知
我知道了
×
提示
现在去查看 取消
×
提示
确定
0
微信
客服QQ
Book学术公众号 扫码关注我们
反馈
×
意见反馈
请填写您的意见或建议
请填写您的手机或邮箱
已复制链接
已复制链接
快去分享给好友吧!
我知道了
×
扫码分享
扫码分享
Book学术官方微信
Book学术文献互助
Book学术文献互助群
群 号:481959085
Book学术
文献互助 智能选刊 最新文献 互助须知 联系我们:info@booksci.cn
Book学术提供免费学术资源搜索服务,方便国内外学者检索中英文文献。致力于提供最便捷和优质的服务体验。
Copyright © 2023 Book学术 All rights reserved.
ghs 京公网安备 11010802042870号 京ICP备2023020795号-1