SteelData’s Post

The transition of the steel sector through H2-DRI-EAF heavily relies on a continuous supply of renewables to energise both electrolysers and steel mills. For Australia to stay competitive in the realm of green iron and steel, increased investment is imperative to construct dedicated renewable infrastructure for green steel plants. 🔑 Key Messages ✅ The first wave of green iron and steel initiatives appears likely to be focused on regions that already have power grids dominated by low-emissions electricity generation. ✅ The variability of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, necessitates oversizing of capacity and the implementation of energy storage solutions to ensure a continuous energy supply for steel mills. Power grids dominated by hydropower offer an advantage. ✅ While tapping into clean grid electricity – rather than constructing dedicated renewable energy installations – presents cost-effective advantages in capital expenditure, it doesn’t offer a universal solution for steel decarbonisation as it is not currently available worldwide. ✅ Going forward green iron and steel plants will need to be placed in regions with low-cost renewable energy sources. Australia could become a leading green iron hub by developing dedicated renewable energy infrastructure close to iron ore production centres. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gVgsTZyV #greensteel #renewableenergy #decarbonization #hydrogen

Competing for Green Steel: National advantages and location challenges 🟢 The first wave of green iron and steel initiatives appears likely to be focused on regions that already have power grids dominated by low-emissions electricity generation. 🟢 The variability of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, necessitates oversizing of capacity and the implementation of energy storage solutions to ensure a continuous energy supply for steel mills. Power grids dominated by hydropower offer an advantage. 🟢 While tapping into clean grid electricity – rather than constructing dedicated renewable energy installations – presents cost-effective advantages in capital expenditure, it doesn't offer a universal solution for steel decarbonisation as it is not currently available worldwide. 🟢 Going forward green iron and steel plants will need to be placed in regions with low-cost renewable energy sources. Australia could become a leading green iron hub by developing dedicated renewable energy infrastructure close to iron ore production centres. To produce green steel using low-emissions H2-DRI-EAF technology, a substantial quantity of green hydrogen and continuous zero-emission electricity are required. H2-DRI-EAF involves the use of hydrogen (H2) to produce direct reduced iron (DRI) which is then consumed in an electric arc furnace (EAF) to produce steel. Regions with strong renewable energy resources will be able to produce cheap green hydrogen in the future, but they will require considerable investment in dedicated solar and wind installations. In the short term, the need for non-stop zero-emissions electricity is enticing steelmakers to regions where lower-emissions grid electricity is already available, including locations in Norway, Brazil, northern Sweden, and the Canadian province of Quebec. Nordic countries are leading the way in the deployment of renewable energy and boast some of the lowest carbon intensity levels in their power generation. With the majority of their electricity generated from hydro sources, countries such as Norway or regions like the north of Sweden enjoy a distinct advantage – the ability to provide a continuous, uninterrupted low-emissions electricity. This consistent energy supply can effectively meet the electricity demands around the clock of both steel mills and the electrolysis process needed to make green hydrogen. Source: IEEFA (Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dDS245pN)

Sustainable Energy Transition: Renewables Up & Coal Down - According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), CO2 emissions declined 3% between 2022 and 2023, driven by some coal-fired generation being replaced by solar power - It forecasted an 18% decline in coal-related CO2 emissions in 2023 and a 5% decline in 2024 - The Northwest saw 58% of its regional emissions come from coal in 2022, compared to the 78% in 2012 https://lnkd.in/e5bk5dXe

Key point from this: Switching everything to electricity, and making that electricity with non-fossil sources reduces our energy use by 49.3%. Without additional energy conservation. This is why it is easier than many think. (Not "easy", just easier).

For the first time since the 1960s, coal's contribution to India's power production capacity falls below 50% https://ift.tt/K7j5zh6 For the first time since the 1960s, coal's contribution to India's power production capacity falls below 50% According to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis's (IEEFA) most recent POWERup quarterly report, renewable energy contributed 71.5% of India's record 13,669 megawatts (MW) of new power production capacity installed in the first quarter of this year (January–March). For the first time since the 1960s, coal's percentage of India's overall power generating capacity fell below 50% in the first quarter of 2024. According to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis's (IEEFA) most recent POWERup quarterly report, renewable energy contributed 71.5% of India's record 13,669 megawatts (MW) of new power production capacity installed in the first quarter of this year (January–March). For the first time since the 1960s, the proportion of coal, including lignite, in India's overall power production capacity fell below 50%. The trend toward renewable energy is well ahead of India's goal of attaining 50 percent of its total power generating capacity from non-fossil fuel-based sources by 2030, according to the research. The reduction in the proportion of coal used in power generating capacity is consistent with a worldwide trend; in 2023, the demand for coal in the G7 nations fell to historic lows not seen since 1900. In an effort to expedite the shift, the G7 nations extended their earlier promise to stop constructing any new coal-fired power plants by 2035 and committed to phase out all unabated coal power output by that time. In general, "unabated" refers to the use of coal, oil, and gas without any attempts to reduce emissions. World leaders came to a historic agreement in December of last year at the United Nations' COP28 climate change summit to shift away from fossil fuels that overheat the globe and quadruple the amount of renewable energy produced globally by 2030. The federal government's annual objective of 50 GW was surpassed by a record 69 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy tenders issued in India in the fiscal year 2023–2024, according to the report. "After a downturn from 2019 to 2022 due to supply-chain issues as well as global price spikes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic or Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the global economy has rebounded and gone as strength to strength," Vibhuti Garg, IEEFA Director for South Asia, India is now third in the globe after the United States and China in terms of solar power output, according to Ember's fifth annual Global Electricity Review of 80 nations. India, which was ranked ninth in 2015, has now surpassed Japan, which shares Germany's continuously high coal consumption with other G7 members. In 2023, solar energy produced a record 5.5 percent of the world's electricity, with 5.8 percent coming from s...

Battery storage plus green hydrogen storage can enable a reliable, cheap clean energy transition worldwide Transitioning to clean, renewable energy could enable many countries to reduce annual energy costs by around 61%. “The first step is to electrify all energy sectors as much as possible… the efficiency of electricity over combustion reduces energy demand by 38.0%,” when averaged over 145 countries." This is primarily due to the efficiency of heat pumps, electric vehicles, and electrified industry. "The second step is to provide electricity with just wind-water-solar sources and storage, and eliminating energy to mine, transport, and refine fossil fuels and uranium saves another 11.3% of all energy worldwide. End-use energy efficiency improvements beyond business-as-usual reduce energy requirements another 6.6%, and a forecasted reduction in the cost per unit of energy of about 9% results in an overall annual cost savings to a country of 61%." While existing hydropower and batteries can ensure grid reliability, adding green hydrogen to the system can reduce energy costs in some regions, although a combination of hydropower and green hydrogen with no batteries is always more expensive than a combination of the three. This is because every region with a highly renewable grid will need short-term bursts of power, such as that provided by hydropower or batteries, but not every region necessarily needs the long-term energy storage provided by hydrogen." "Green hydrogen storage can absorb excess electricity when there is too much wind or solar on the grid, and then provide storage on scales of hours to a few days when wind and solar are not available and hydropower and batteries are depleted" https://lnkd.in/gPCYDSWD pv magazine Global Dave Bates Chris Coil Stanford University Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment Stanford Energy Here's the full study. The most important finding is many combinations of storage techs exist to keep the grid stable worldwide w/100% Wind-Water-Solar for all purposes, and although some are more or less expensive than others, all cost 58-62% less annually than fossils

part 3 GREENER SHORES, BRAZIL $100 BILLIONS DECARBONIZATION OPPORTUNITY The extensive hydropower infrastructure in place could complement the expansion of wind and solar energy. Controlled hydropower release could effectively address the intermittency challenges associated with these sources, potentially reducing the need for battery storage. This presents a significant advantage for companies seeking reliable, constant green electricity. Capturing the full value from wind and solar would depend on filling two requirements. First is the need for a robust and stable electricity supply to foster broad electrification (especially for the industry, mobility, and logistics sectors). Second is the need to expand an already integrated grid infrastructure to enable accelerated incorporation of the generated supply. The National Electric System Operator (ONS) recognizes the importance of grid flexibility in accommodating future wind and solar energy transmission in Brazil. ONS estimates that about $9 billion in investments in the transmission grid will be necessary between 2024 and 2028 to allow the flow of the full surplus Developing green hydrogen (GH2) would also require grid development, as 70 percent of hydrogen production cost comes from energy. Brazil is already a competitive producer of HBI and biocarbon-based blast furnace technologies. Our analysis indicates that the full landed cost of producing iron via the blast furnace route with carbon capture in the European Union is approximately $460 per metric ton. In contrast, Brazil can produce it using biocoal and deliver it to the European Union for about $265 per metric ton. Similarly, HBI produced in Brazil, with a projected full landed cost of $465 per metric ton by 2030, remains highly competitive against hydrogen direct reduced iron (DRI) produced in the European Union, which has a full landed cost of $560 per metric ton. Indeed, Brazil is now establishing itself as a cost-effective location for producing green hydrogen. Our analysis suggests that the LCOH for green hydrogen is expected is projected to reach approximately $2.50 per kilogram by 2030, positioning Brazil as one of the most competitive countries globally for large-scale hydrogen production. GH2 is a key component in developing a global green commodities market, including ammonia, green HBI (which uses GH2 instead of natural gas as a reductant), and e-methanol A recently enacted legal framework for hydrogen6 in Brazil will likely accelerate the development of GH2 projects. New incentive plans under this framework, including Rehidro and PHBC (Plano de Hidrogênio de Baixo Carbono, or Low-carbon hydrogen plan), may provide incentives of more than $100 per metric ton for ammonia.#UNFCCC #EBRD #CDF #DECAB #SACREE #FUGRO #EPRI #IHA #CCREEE #QEERI #CDF #AFD

Balancing the grid with hydrogen storage By Priyanka Dasgupta Promising solutions, such as hydrogen storage, can counteract the intermittency of solar and wind energy and optimize the use of stored energy when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine. Certification and testing play a pivotal role to ensure hydrogen storage is carried out safely. “The phase-out of fossil fuels is essential and inevitable to avoid a global climate catastrophe.” That is the position UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has taken, voicing what several global leaders have come to realize. The massive reliance on renewable energies everywhere in the world is one of the ways of mitigating climate change and renouncing fossil fuels. Global investment in renewable energies is steadily on the rise. A report by the International Energy Agency shows that for the past few years, renewables have seen higher investment than fossil fuels. According to the report, in 2023 low-emissions power is expected to account for almost 90% of total investment in electricity generation. Solar photovoltaic energy is the main beneficiary of this investment surge, while financing for wind energy is more patchy, depending on the years. Hydropower, while also a renewable energy, has seen its share of investment decline over recent years. Ensuring constant supply to the grid Wind and solar energy are intermittent and cannot be relied upon to constantly meet the grid's electricity requirements. Innovative solutions have emerged to ensure a continuous power supply. Solar or wind energy can be stored using batteries and grids can be supported by industrial-scale battery sites or other grid-scale storage technologies. Pumped-storage hydropower is one of the most widely used technologies in this regard, where water is pumped up into reservoirs and can be released to generate electricity in times of demand. For instance, in the UK, when wind and solar are not generating power, the grid infrastructure is supported by a range of technologies including flexible hydro plants that can provide power immediately when needed. Hydropower does not have the same constraints of intermittency as solar and wind and contributes to the biggest share of renewable electricity generation worldwide. There is also the scope of scaling up “interconnectors” to share energy supplies between countries. The concept revolves around balancing energy supply and demand. When one country faces reduced energy supply, perhaps due to minimal wind activity, it can rely on a shared supply pool, tapping into excess energy from neighbouring countries. Already, countries such as Denmark, Germany and the UK have setup interconnectors to share the supply load from renewable energies with nearby countries. Periods of under-supply can cause fluctuations in the grid, which may result in brownouts or in complete power”…continue👇🏻 Mexican Hydrogen, Storage & Sustainable Mobility Association (AMH2) https://lnkd.in/gk8ytTe8

#WWS #RECORDS The world has passed a clean energy milestone, as a boom in wind and solar meant a record-breaking 30% of the world’s electricity was produced by renewables last year, new data shows. 📖 https://lnkd.in/gmccRBNi graphics Portugal is averaging 91% renewable electricity in 2024, with Europe’s lowest power prices. According to network operator REN, renewable energy generation covered 95% of the nation’s electricity demand in April. That follows a 91% share in March, 88% in February, and 81% in January. Hydroelectric plants comprised 48% of the electricity mix in the first four months of the year, followed by wind at 30%, solar at 7%, and biomass at 6%. 📖 https://lnkd.in/gKbM2Yzd In 2023, Denmark witnessed an increase in renewable energy production, with solar and wind power collectively accounting for 63% of the electricity supply throughout the year. This surge is primarily attributed to a 53% increase in solar energy compared to 2022, while the consumption of biomass decreased by just over 2%. 📖 https://lnkd.in/gm4RKerq. Wind and solar accounted for 76% of electricity production in Texas’ primary power grid last Friday. The next day, New England set its own record, with 45% of its power coming from wind, solar and hydropower. 📖https://lnkd.in/g5Sd88XQ More than 99.7% of electricity in Albania, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Iceland, Nepal, Paraguay and the Democratic Republic of Congo comes from geothermal, hydro, solar or wind power. 📖 https://lnkd.in/gaKH67ww Norway came close with 98.38% of its energy from wind, water or solar, according to the data compiled by Stanford University Professor Mark Jacobson. Another 40 countries got at least half of their electricity from renewables in 2021 and 2022 including 11 in Europe. 📖 https://lnkd.in/gaKH67ww #IONAXS #CleanMobility #eMobility #ElectricCars  #FutureMobility #Batteries #Automotive  #ElectricVehicles #AutonomousVehicles  #EV #Lithium #Innovation #Sustainability  #Recycling #Future #Energy #Efficiency #Technology #AVEVAI #TomTsogt 🔔👍

The world is making significant strides towards a more sustainable future with renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and hydroelectric power. It's inspiring to see countries like Portugal and Denmark leading the way, with impressive percentages of their electricity coming from renewables. This is a clear indication that we're on the right track to combatting climate change and reducing our carbon footprint.