Energy system requirements of fossil-free steelmaking using hydrogen direct reduction

The iron and steel industry is one of the world's largest industrial emitters greenhouse gases. One promising option for decarbonising hydrogen direct reduction (H-DR) with electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking, powered by zero carbon electricity. However, to date, little attention has been given energy system requirements adopting such a highly energy-intensive process. This study integrates newly developed long-term planning tool, thermodynamic process model H-DR/EAF steelmaking Vogl et al. (2018), assess optimal combination generation storage technologies needed provide reliable supply electricity hydrogen. modelling tools can be applied any country or region their use demonstrated here application UK as case study. It found that comprises 1.3 GW electrolysers, 3 wind power, 2.5 solar, 60 MW combined cycle gas capture, 600 GWh/600 storage, 30 GWh/130 compressed air storage. significantly reduced maintaining some dispatchable generation, example from GWh no restriction on 140 if 20% demand met using generation. marginal abatement costs switch hydrogen-based are projected less than price forecasts within 5–10 years.