The Roles of Energy and Material Efficiency in Meeting Steel Industry CO 2 Targets
Open accessAbstract
Identifying strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from steel production requires a comprehensive model of the sector but previous work has either failed to consider the whole supply chain or considered only a subset of possible abatement options. In this work, a global mass flow analysis is combined with process emissions intensities to allow forecasts of future steel sector emissions under all abatement options. Scenario analysis shows that global capacity for primary steel production is already near to a peak and that if sectoral emissions are to be reduced by 50% by 2050, the last required blast furnace will be built by 2020. Emissions reduction targets cannot be met by energy and emissions efficiency alone, but deploying material efficiency provides sufficient extra abatement potential.
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Milford et al conservatively assume a reduction of the mass of steel to provide the same function by 19% in their global ME scenarios for future steel demand.
“Milford et al [16] conservatively assume a reduction of the mass of steel to provide the same function by 19% in their global ME scenarios for future steel demand.”
From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [16]
Both efforts drew on existing, bottom-up assessments of specific products and strategies and were hampered by a lack of established data, as well as agreed methods and models to estimate emissions reductions.
“Both efforts drew on existing, bottom-up assessments of specific products and strategies, e.g. for steel [16], and were hampered by a lack of established data, as well as agreed methods and models to estimate emissions reductions.”
From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [16]
More intensive use of buildings can reduce material-related GHG emissions by 40%.
“| Buildings | More intensive use | ↓40% [16] | ↓ | ↓ | LM | ◊ ↑GDP, ↓family size |”
From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [16]
Lifetime extension of light duty vehicles can reduce material-related GHG emissions by 13% for the steel fleet.
“| | Lifetime extension | ↓13% steel fleet [16] | -↑ | ↓ - | LM | ◊ ↑Model variety |”
From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [16]
Light-weight design of buildings can reduce material-related GHG emissions by 19% to 50%.
“| | Light-weight design | ↓19 [16]-50% [71] | -↑ | ↓ - | MH | ◊ Conventions, labor costs |”
From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [16]
Light-weight design of light duty vehicles can reduce material-related GHG emissions by 5%-45% for steel.
“| | Light-weight design | ↓5%-45% steel [16, 207] | ↓ | ↓ | MH | ◊ Costs |”
From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [16]
More intensive use of light duty vehicles can reduce material-related GHG emissions by 39% for the steel fleet.
“| Light duty vehicles | More intensive use | ↓39% steel fleet [16] | - | ↓ | MM | ◊ ↑GDP, ↓family size |”
From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [16]
Reuse of metals in buildings can reduce material-related GHG emissions by 15%.
“| | Metals | ↓15% [16] | | | | |”
From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [16]
Lifetime extension of buildings can reduce material-related GHG emissions by 47%.
“| | Lifetime extension | ↓47% [16] | -↑ | ↓ - | LM | ◊ ↑GDP |”
From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [16]
Reuse of light duty vehicles can reduce material-related GHG emissions by 30% for the steel fleet.
“| | Reuse | ↓30% steel fleet [16] | -↑ | b- | LM | ◊ Logistics, labor cost |”
From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [16]
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- Authors
- Milford, R. L., Pauliuk, S., Allwood, J. M., & Müller, D. B.
- Affiliations
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NO)
- Corresponding author
- Allwood, Julian M.
- Venue
- Environmental Science & Technology
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2013-03-07
- Volume
- 47
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 3455-3462
- ISSN
- 0013-936X (ISSN-L)
- 1520-5851
- OpenAlex
- W2055307036
- Cited by
- 254
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 4
- FWCI
- 20.76
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- other-oa
- Locations
- Environmental Science & Technology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- BIBSYS Brage (BIBSYS (Norway)) (acceptedVersion)
- Cambridge University Engineering Department Publications Database (submittedVersion)
- NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/G007217/1)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Iron and Steelmaking Processes
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Climate Change Policy and Economics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Environmental Impact and Sustainability
- Keywords
- steel industry, CO2 emission reduction, greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency, material efficiency, blast furnace, mass flow analysis, supply chain emissions
- MeSH terms
- Air Pollutants, Carbon Dioxide, Industry, Reference Standards, Steel, Thermodynamics, Reproducibility of Results
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