Green steel transition pivots on wood processing technology

The steel industry is facing mounting pressure to reduce its environmental impact and embrace more sustainable production methods, including the need to develop and commercialize new low-carbon technologies. According to the European Commission’s EU Science Hub, traditional steel manufacturing is responsible for around five percent of CO² emissions in the EU and seven percent globally. 

In steps ‘green steel’ production, which is emerging as a cleaner, more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional manufacturing, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, while maintaining high-quality steel output.

Renewable alternatives

A leading pioneer in this transformation is Steel Dynamics Incorporated (SDI), the fourth largest steel producer in the USA. It has set ambitious carbon-reduction targets through the Global Steel Climate Council (GSCC) and is committed to achieving them. As part of this commitment, SDI is an instrumental element of a new biocarbon pellet plant, based in Columbus, Mississippi, USA, which is reaching its first phase of completion. 

The plant is part of a US joint venture company between SDI and Aymium, SDI Biocarbon Solutions, and marks a revolutionary step in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in steelmaking. The new pellet plant will produce biocarbon, a carbon-rich biomass-based anthracite replacement. It will supply SDI’s electric arc furnace steel mills with a renewable alternative to fossil fuel-based carbon sources using Aymium’s patented technology.

In 2023, Bruks Siwertell’s state-of-the-art wood processing and material handling technology, including products from Bruks Siwertell Group brands, Bruks and West Salem Machinery (WSM), were ordered to support SDI’s green steel ambitions. 

One-stop-shop

Bruks Siwertell’s equipment delivery scope includes: a large, high-capacity Bruks Klöckner horizontal drum chipper; WSM screening and vertical green hammermill systems; and a Bruks radial stacker, as well as the complete conveyor system from receiving to the dryer delivery.

Bruks drum chippers offer high-capacity micro-chipping capabilities and can process whole Southern Yellow Pine trees, as well as waste wood residues. In addition to this technology, the WSM green hammermill system produces the ideal product quality necessary for the most efficient drying requirements and optimal fiber preparation for pellet production. 

A key environmental challenge in steel production is controlling dust emissions. Bruks Siwertell’s fully enclosed conveying system significantly reduces dust emissions, safeguarding cleaner operations and contributing to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly production process. Furthermore, the Bruks radial stacker ensures an efficient woodyard, with automated storage systems having a fraction of the carbon footprint of a manually managed pile and much improved fugitive dust control.

For this contract, Bruks Siwertell was a one-stop-shop for SDI, delivering significant installation and logistics benefits. Also, the vast majority of equipment was sourced for supply from North America.

Sustainable industry shifts

The transition to green steel is not just about reducing emissions, it is about creating an efficient, sustainable supply chain that relies on renewable resources. By using biocarbon as a substitute for coal, SDI estimates its new plant will reduce Scope 1 steelmaking greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 35 percent.
 
These levels of emissions reductions will not only mark a significant step forward in sustainable steel production, but also set an example for the whole industry to follow. However, critical to achieving them is the ability to maximize the energy potential in raw materials and organic feedstocks, emphasizing the pivotal role that advanced wood-processing technology has, and will increasingly have, in sustainable industry shifts.
  
For Bruks Siwertell, this contract draws upon its full strength of expertise in biomass handling and processing. It demonstrates how technologies that are typically found in the renewable energy and processed wood industries, such as pulp and paper and panelboard manufacturing, can cross over into providing sustainable solutions for carbon-intensive sectors. This new plant will hopefully help shape the future of steel production, and prove that efficiency and environmental responsibility are also commercially viable.