Sustainable Transition Pathways for Steel Manufacturing: Low-Carbon Steelmaking Technologies in Enterprises

Amid escalating global climate crises and the urgent imperative to meet the Paris Agreement’s carbon neutrality targets, the steel industry—a leading contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions—confronts unprecedented challenges in driving sustainable industrial transformation through innovative low-carbon steelmaking technologies. This paper examines decarbonization technologies across three stages (source, process, and end-of-pipe) for two dominant steel production routes: the long process (BF-BOF) and the short process (EAF). For the BF-BOF route, source-stage decarbonization employs high-proportion pelletized ore charging and elevated scrap ratios. The process stage integrates converter bottom-blowing with O2-CO2-CaO composite injection technology for optimized carbon control. The end-of-pipe treatment combines CO2 recycling with carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) for deep decarbonization. The EAF route establishes a low-carbon production system through green high-efficiency electric arc furnaces and hydrogen-based shaft furnace processes. Source-stage improvements utilize green electricity and advanced equipment for energy efficiency. Process optimization implements intelligent control systems for precise smelting, while end-of-pipe solutions incorporate waste heat recovery and slag resource utilization to form closed-loop operations. Hydrogen direct reduction ironmaking and green electricity-driven EAF technologies demonstrate significant emission reduction potential, providing crucial technological support for industrial decarbonization. Comparative analysis of industrial applications reveals varying emission reduction efficiencies, economic viability, and implementation challenges across different technical pathways. The study concludes that deep decarbonization of the steel industry requires coordinated policy incentives, technological innovation, and industrial chain collaboration. Accelerating large-scale adoption of low-carbon metallurgical technologies through these synergistic efforts will drive the global steel sector toward sustainable development goals. This research systematically evaluates current low-carbon steelmaking technologies and proposes implementation strategies, offering valuable insights for the industry's green transition—a cornerstone for building a sustainable future.