To avoid irreversible harm, global warming must be maintained well below 2°C, ideally under 1.5°C. Consequently, the European Commission has established a bold goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% from 1990 levels by 2030 and to reach net zero emissions before 2050. Additionally, the German Federal Constitutional Court has mandated that national emission reduction targets need to be defined starting from 2031 to clarify the trajectory between 2031 and 2050. The steel industry, known for its high energy consumption, contributes approximately 7% of global anthropogenic CO₂ emissions. However, it also represents nearly 3.5% of the world's GDP and 3% of global employment across various sectors [1,2]. Consequently the steel industry must play a crucial role in meeting ambitious climate targets. Given its integral role in daily life and its importance in enabling climate-neutral technologies, eliminating steel production in Europe is not a viable solution [1]. The primary blast furnace (BF) - basic oxygen furnace (BOF) route and the secondary scrap-based electric arc furnace (EAF) route are the predominant methods for steel production today. As reported by the World Steel Association in 2020, the BF-BOF route accounted for approximately 72% of global steel production in 2019, while the EAF route made up 28%. The BF-BOF route generates direct and indirect CO₂ emissions of around 2.2 t CO₂/tCS, compared to approximately 0.3 t CO₂/tCS for the EAF route (IEA, 2020). However, due to the limitations in scrap quality and availability, it will be crucial to develop innovative technologies in the primary steel production route to achieve the EU's climate goals [3]. thyssenkrupp Steel is responsible for approximately 20 million tons of CO₂ emissions, constituting 2.5% of Germany's total emissions (as shown in Figure 1). Consequently, the implementation of breakthrough technologies in the primary steel production process is crucial for mitigating these emissions [4]. The ambitious plans to cut CO₂ emissions by up to 30% by 2030 and its ongoing innovations in steel production processes highlight a strong commitment to sustainability. This lecture will provide an overview of the transition from blast furnaces and coking coal to hydrogen-based direct reduction (DR) plants, integrated with innovative melting units, which are one example of how to achieve near net zero emissions and are essential for meeting the EU's climate objectives and securing the future viability of the steel industry.

References
[1] J. Suer; M. Traverso; N. Jäger Energies, 2022, 15, 9468.
[2] European Union (EU) The European Green Deal, 2019.
[3] J. Suer; M. Traverso; F. Ahrenhold, Journal of Cleaner Production, 2021, 128588.
[4] Agora Energie Wende, Studie, Version: 1.2, 2020.