News » A Green Deal on Steel video series - episode 5
A Green Deal on Steel video series - episode 5
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This is the fifth episode in EUROFER's Green Deal on Steel series: Carbon Direct Avoidance.
The current techniques for making steel from iron ore are at their thermodynamic limits and electricity-based steel processes cannot, presently, rely on having access to fully renewable energy sources.
This is where Carbon Direct Avoidance comes in. Carbon Direct Avoidance tries to avoid the generation of carbon oxides in the first place.
There are two main ways.
There is hydrogen-based metallurgy, which uses hydrogen to replace carbon in steel production processes. This hydrogen could be produced using renewable energy.
Then there is electricity-based metallurgy, which uses electricity with a greater focus on renewable energy.
Carbon Direct Avoidance projects include HYBRIT, H2Steel, tkH2Steel GrInHY, SALCOS Hydrogen Hamburg and SIDERWIN. Further projects focus on the scrap or direct reduction of iron routes, involving circular economy solutions, process integration and Carbon Direct Avoidance via hydrogen and electricity use.
These projects are already underway at various levels across Europe, and when deployed could revolutionise how steel is made.
Brussels, 06 February 2025 – The economic and geopolitical conditions that have affected the European steel market over the past two years show no signs of improvement and have further deepened their negative impact on the sector in 2024. Growing uncertainty continues to weigh also on 2025 and 2026, with the outlook hinging on unpredictable developments especially as regards international trade. According to EUROFER’s latest Economic and Steel Market Outlook, the recession in apparent steel consumption in 2024 will be steeper than previously projected (-2.3%, down from -1.8%) and the expected recovery in 2025 has now been downgraded (+2.2%, down from +3.8%). Similarly, steel-using sectors’ recession has been revised downwards for 2024 (-3.3% from -2.7%), while growth projections for 2025 have also been lowered (+0,9% from +1.6%). Some acceleration is not expected until 2026 (+2.1%). Steel imports remain at historically high levels (28%) also in the third quarter of 2024.
First quarter 2025 report. Data up to, and including, third quarter 2024
Brussels, 04 February 2025 – The European Steel Association (EUROFER) supports the demonstration of thousands of industry workers taking place tomorrow, 5 February, in Brussels, organised by industriAll Europe. Steel workers from across the EU will join workers from other manufacturing industries to call on the European Commission to save our industry and preserve employment by investing in good industrial jobs and the transition, while combating global overcapacity and unfair trade.