Joseph Poveromo

Abstract:

The major thrust of global efforts to decarbonize global steel production aims at the transition from blast furnace/BOF steel production to electric furnace (EAF) steel production with the EAF fed by various combinations of DRI (direct reduced iron), HBI (hot briquetted iron), “green” pig iron and scrap. The challenges start with the observation that circa 60 % of global stee; production is in the Asia-Pacific area where most of the BF/BOF facilities are less than 15 years old; thus, too early for retirement (financially) and extend to the dominant Australia iron ore base that is not suitable for DRI/HBI shaft furnace use. For the rest of the world, the challenges include the CAPEX/OPEX requirements for high grade ore beneficiation, pellet plants, DRI/HBI plants and EAF facilities as well as the associated raw material challenges: iron ore quality, pellet availability, biomass consistency, scrap quality, and the cost of “green” reducing gas: H2 produced from renewable energy. The potential solutions to the above challenges will be outlined.