替代技术是可行的，包括可以利用可再生能源供电的电弧炉(EAF)，以及使用“绿色氢”而不是煤来生产钢铁。The survey shows that some of the world's largest steel manufacturers are lagging behind in the transition to low-carbon production, with some companies still relying entirely on fossil fuels as energy.
According to the website of the intelligence financial APP, a survey of 18 major steel companies shows that some of the world's largest steel manufacturers are lagging behind in the transition to low-carbon production, with some companies still relying entirely on fossil fuels as energy.
Steel production accounts for 7% of global carbon dioxide emissions, roughly the same as India, with each ton of steel produced by a coal-fired blast furnace producing 2 tons of carbon dioxide.
Alternative technologies are feasible, including electric arc furnaces (EAF) that can be powered by renewable energy and producing steel using 'green hydrogen' instead of coal.
However, the climate organization Action Speaks Louder (ASL) based in Sydney stated that during the period from 2022 to 2023, 99% of the energy of some industry giants still relies on fossil fuels.
Laura Kelly, a researcher of this survey and the strategic director of ASL, stated that the steel industry is considered a 'difficult to reduce emissions' industry, but the main obstacle is affordability.
She said: 'This claim of being 'difficult to reduce emissions' still implies that it is not feasible technically.'
The best performer is Sweden's SSAB, with 19% of its energy coming from wind power, while some South Korean companies perform the worst. Companies like Hyundai Steel, Dongkuk Steel, and POSCO have zero or close to zero proportion of wind power, despite producing large amounts of steel through electric arc furnaces.
Kelly stated that due to investments in fossil fuel infrastructure, including import terminals and pipelines, some companies have vested interests in maintaining the status quo.
JSW Steel in India only has 0.4% of its energy coming from wind power. Prabodha Acharya, Chief Sustainability Officer of JSW Steel, stated that the company aims to operate all steel business with clean energy and emissions by 2030.
With the implementation of carbon pricing measures, steel manufacturers will face increasing pressure to transition to cleaner energy sources.
Kelly stated, "If they are not harming financially now, they will also harm strategically because they are lagging behind in transition plans."
