Steel Institute of VDEh (Düsseldorf, Germany):

Lüngen H. B., Dr. Eng., Head of Technical Dept., e-mail: hans-bodo.luengen@vdeh.de

The paper presents the review about the conference discussing possibilities of substantial lowering the carbon dioxide emissions, according to the regulations of European Commission. The real possible limit of lowering of CO₂ emissions in the iron and steel industry and power engineering has been analyzed based on up-to-date parameters of blast furnace practice. It was concluded that proposed lowering by 80–95% until 2050 seems to be impossible even taking into account probable revolutionary variation of technological processes and complete cycle “Carbon catching, utilization and storage” (CCUS). Several technological innovations are considered as potentially prospective in this fi eld: usage of natural gas (not containing hydrogen); usage of preliminarily reduced ores (DRI/HBI); development of ULCOS (Ultra low CO₂ steel making) projects. Realization of these projects depends on creating of corresponding conditions, such as financial support, new technologies, access to raw materials and power sources with competitive prices. In addition, the European systems of emissions quote trading has to be corrected, meaning guarantees for the German iron and steel industry about reservation of its international competitiveness.