SteelMaking with Alternative ReductanTs

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

Steelmaking is one of the biggest industrial emitters of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2). The integration of renewable energies, especially using biomass and waste resources, in the steelmaking sector could substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions. LIFE SMART will take forward work on Torrefaction technology developed by coordinating beneficiary ArcelorMittal Belgium, including advances made during two ongoing Horizon 2020 projects: Torero and Steelanol. Torrefaction is a thermal process that converts biomass, including wood and solid waste, into a material with better properties for use as a fuel for combustion and gasification applications. The process involves a mild pyrolysis, at temperatures of 200350C, to produce a fuel with an increased energy density.

OBJECTIVES

Life SMART aims to develop an innovative and cost-effective solution that integrates renewable energies into the steel manufacturing process. The project team will do this either by transforming Solid Waste (SW) into torrefied SW that can be fed into blast furnaces or by feeding SW directly to the coker. The specific objectives are to:

Demonstrate a new approach to integrating renewable energies (biomass and waste) in the steelmaking sector that enables a substantial reduction of CO2 emissions;

Prove the economic feasibility of the approach at demonstration-scale and thus reach the last step before commercialisation by the end of the project;

Reach a broad network of industrial stakeholders in order to showcase the low-carbon technologies and determine potential customers; and

Reinforce the replication and transferability potential.

The project contributes to the implementation of the EU 2030 Climate Framework by reducing GHG emissions, the Renewable Energy Directive, and the Energy Efficiency Directive through the implementation of low-carbon technology. Life SMART uses solid waste that is diverted from incineration and landfill, and produces ethanol as a biofuel from syngas fermentation, both having positive impacts on the Waste Framework Directive and policies on critical raw materials and the circular economy.

RESULTS

Expected results:

LIFE SMART targets a decrease of 161 000-ton CO2/year from fossil coal, using a Pulverised Coke (PCI) CO2 emissions baseline of 3 223 M ton/year and a substitution of 5% PCI with SW at the demonstration scale;

LIFE SMART will save 4% in costs by implementing a new technology that uses waste, resulting in approximately 6.3 M/year savings;

Reach a positive public perception and industry acceptanceof the technology. This will be assessed through four industrial visits that will gather steelmakers, solid waste handlers and local/national authorities; and

LIFE SMART will strongly contribute to the expansion and promotion of new renewable energy approaches inEU industry. It will contribute to the mitigation of climate change, reduce landfilling, limit coke/coal processing and import, and produce biofuel as a by-product.