Technological innovation as a driver of sustainability in steel production

The iron and steel industry plays a vital role in the global economy, but it is highly intensive in energy, emissions, and materials. This sector is facing increasing challenges, such as the rising of energy prices, stringent environmental regulation, and uncertain context. Moreover, the post-pandemic economic environment and the recent upheavals in the global geopolitical context have sent energy prices soaring. In such a context, it is very important for steel-producing companies to invest in technological innovations of their processes to increase their efficiency, improve the environmental performance, and enhance long-term sustainability. The design and selection of new technologies can be supported by means of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), i.e. a scientific method to understand and address environmental aspects and potential impacts throughout a product’s life cycle. In this paper, we propose an LCA application to assess the environmental impacts and benefits associated with technological innovations recently implemented in scrap handling and melting departments of an Italian steel company. We used SimaPro software, collected primary data from the company, and employed the Ecoinvent database to gather additional data. We adopted ReCiPe 2016 as life cycle impact assessment method. The analysis highlighted that the installation of a new injection system of additives with a revised chemical composition for Electric Arc Furnace (EAF), and the adoption of a system for handling scraps and identifying the optimal mix of charge mostly contribute to the reduction of environmental issues related to the production of billets. Such environmental benefits are obtained through the decrease of energy consumption in EAF, and, in particular, of the consumption of natural gas and coal for electricity production.