Global steel makers set CO2 emission targets

Using Hydrogen in blast furnace a challenge

ArcelorMittal Europe has set target to cut carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030, to contribute to the European Commission’s Green Deal.

It has announced a CO2 roadmap for ArcelorMittal Europe – flat products, is in line with an ambition to be carbon neutral in Europe by 2050.

The roadmap to achieve the 30 percent target is based on three distinct pathways that have the potential to deliver a significant reduction in carbon emissions, including:

♦ Clean power steelmaking, using clean power as the energy source for hydrogen-based steelmaking, and longer term for direct electrolysis steelmaking

♦ Circular carbon steelmaking, which uses circular carbon energy sources, such as waste biomass, to displace fossil fuels in steelmaking, thereby enabling low-emissions steelmaking

♦ Fossil fuel carbon capture and storage, where the current method of steel production is maintained but the carbon is then captured and stored or re-used rather than emitted into the atmosphere.

Key to the success of the roadmap will be supportive policy to ensure a global level playing field and so ArcelorMittal is banking on the European Commission’s Green Deal, and believes the right market mechanisms are a critical part of enabling the deployment of low-emissions steelmaking.

This includes a carbon border adjustment complementary to the existing ETS and the Just Transition Fund, to invest in research, innovation and green technology.

Initiatives and technologies underway or to be implemented at ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products’ different sites include:

♦ Carbalyst – capture waste gases from the blast furnace and biologically convert it into bio-ethanol. The €120m launch project at ArcelorMittal Ghent is expected to be completed in 2020