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Report: THE STEEL INDUSTRY IN POLAND

Sector Analysis, Challenges, Future Vision

The steel industry is responsible for around 2.5% of CO2 emissions in Poland, 5% – in the European Union and about 7-8% worldwide. To stay on track with climate targets, over the next decades, a significant expansion of the scope of application of low-emission technologies in the sector will be necessary.

What change direcrions are ahead for the steel industry?

At present, the steel industry is at the beginning of technological changes that will offer it a chance to significantly reduce its environmental impact. To achieve the climate objectives agreed under the Paris Agreement, the global steel industry will have to significantly increase production in electric arc furnaces, implement carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies in converters, as well as search for and develop new technologies, in particular the direct reduction method using hydrogen as a reducing agent.

The future of the steel sector

Consequently, the future of the Polish steel industry depends on investments that both increase its production capacity and enable carbon-free production of steel. This is because sustainable development of the steel sector requires a combination of traditional production methods with modern low-emission solutions. Increasing steel production while reducing greenhouse gas emissions will be facilitated by the cooperation of various industrial sectors (energy, metallurgy, cement, chemicals, etc.) and the support of an appropriate industrial policy that takes into account economic and environmental requirements and thus supports not only innovations but also the development of modern production capacity.

In case of Poland, the easiest way to low-emission transformation of the steel sector is to invest in electric arc furnaces. The EAF route allows steel to be produced with lower CO2 emissions compared to traditional production methods. Poland is able to produce a few dozen percent more steel through this route, using the existing resources of steel scrap as the main raw material, of which it is currently a net exporter.

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