A review of energy use and energy-efficient technologies for the iron and steel industry

The iron and steel sector is energy-intensive, and it consumed 18% of the world's total industry final energy consumption in 2013. At present, according to the statistical data of International Energy Agency (IEA) published in 2012, the iron and steel industry has the technical potential to reduce its current total energy consumption by approximately 20% by applying the best available technology (BAT), and more than half of this technical potential may be obtained in China, where more energy-efficiency technologies/measures should be implemented in the steel plants. So a review of energy-efficiency technologies/measures in steel industry could be helpful for steel plants to improve their energy efficiency. Therefore, this paper presents a list of energy efficiency technologies and practices applicable to the steel industry, which includes case studies around the world and information of energy savings and cost when available. Also, a brief overview of the steel industry around the world, details and energy use conditions of different steel manufacturing processes, types of energy use and specific energy consumption of steel industry and details of secondary energy are also included in this paper to give readers a clear understanding of the energy use situation of the steel industry.