Critical Challenges in Global Green Steel Transition | New Article Published!

The article, published on Enlit, addresses the widening gap between the steel industry’s decarbonization goals and the practical realities imposed by a global scrap steel shortage, geopolitical fragmentation, and technological hurdles.

Key Insights

Shin emphasizes that the global steel industry, which accounts for 7% of global GHG emissions, faces a critical timeline: emissions must be halved by 2030. While Electric Arc Furnaces (EAFs) offer low-carbon production, their reliance on scrap steel is unsustainable given the following constraints:

• Supply Shortage: The average 40-year lifespan of steel limits the current supply of end-of-life scrap, a scarcity worsened by growing global demand.
• Geopolitical Imbalance: Regional policies (e.g., China's focus on domestic circularity and US/EU tariff issues) hinder the efficient flow of scrap to fast-growing economies in Asia and Africa.
• Quality Hurdles: EAFs struggle with copper contamination, which compromises the high chemical consistency required for advanced applications like automotive parts and critical infrastructure.

Shin also argues that reliance solely on EAFs is not a viable long-term solution. It is vital that the industry engages in closer inter-regional collaboration and strategically invests in both hydrogen-based steelmaking (HRS) and AI-driven solutions to maximize decarbonization and ensure resource security worldwide.

Read the full article "Fighting for Scraps: The Challenges of the Green Steel Transition."