COAL-BASED STEELMAKING TO PERSIST DESPITE GREEN RHETORIC: EUROCOKE
Despite the green steelmaking rhetoric in Europe, the region’s steelmakers will remain dependent on coal for some time to come, while producers in developing economies will continue investments into new coal-based capacity. So said speakers at last week’s Eurocoke Summit in Amsterdam.
The green hydrogen-based direct reduction-electric arc furnace route can reduce carbon emissions by 97% versus the conventional blast furnace-oxygen converter route; however, there is a huge obstacle to this. Green energy is needed on a scale hitherto unseen, Stahlinstitut VDEh executive board member Dr Hans Lungen pointed out at the event attended by Kallanish. Another challenge is the limited availability of DR-grade iron ore pellet, which is highly-beneficiated versus BF feed.
