Episode Details

Steel Production

Globally, 1.9 billion metric tons of crude steel were produced in 2022. Over the past 15 years, the global demand for steel production has nearly doubled, as this versatile product can be found in nearly all modern infrastructure such as buildings, ships, vehicles, machines, and appliances. Conventionally, steel is made from iron ore (the world’s third most produced commodity by volume), which is a compound derived from iron, oxygen, and other minerals. Through a blast or electric furnace, in which electricity is used to create high-temperature environments to melt the reactants, the final product of steel is generated following a molting refining process. Unfortunately, steel production is extremely energy-intensive and accelerates air pollution through the release of nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide. On average, 1.83 tons of CO2 is emitted for every ton of steel that is produced. Steel production accounts for nearly 7-11% of total global greenhouse gas emissions emitted annually. Steel production not only has harmful environmental impacts, but can negatively impact human health leading to respiratory diseases such as asthma, COPD, and cancer. 

What is Green Steel?

To mitigate the harmful environmental and health effects of conventional steel production, many researchers  are working on green steel as an alternative. Green steel is a form of steel production that is powered by hydrogen or renewable energy, which can reduce carbon dioxide emissions and minimize waste. Green steel can be accomplished through various methods, whether by reducing carbon-based agents, moving from blast to electric furnaces, or decreasing reliance on fossil-fuel based inputs. 

In traditional steel production, CO2 emissions generally arise from the use of coal and coke to remove oxygen from iron ore. Green steel utilizes hydrogen rather than coal or coke. When burned, hydrogen emits only water, so this phase of manufacturing is free of carbon dioxide emissions. As a result, water is the only byproduct which can then be used to produce more hydrogen, forming a closed loop system. Throughout production, green steel utilizes either wind, solar or hydro to power the furnaces instead of fossil power. Scrap materials of used steel can also be utilized, reducing the need for extracting additional primary materials. 

The Future of Green Steel

Green steel production is on the forefront of innovative design in equipping regions like the Rust Belt with strategies to significantl