Report: The Path to Green Steel: Pursuing Zero-Carbon Steelmaking in Japan

This report identifies the challenges of producing green steel in Japan through blast furnaces, hydrogen-based direct reduced iron (H2-DRI) making, and electric furnaces. The Japanese steel industry has already started pioneering efforts to switch to green steel, such as developing technology for producing high-grade steel sheets in large electric furnaces and using H2-DRI technology. Based on these efforts, this report proposes five strategies for decarbonizing Japan's steel industry, including 'electric furnace phase-in and blast furnace phase-out' with consideration to the regional economies that have supported Japanese steel production to date, expanding green steel demand, utilizing offshore wind power, and revising the government hydrogen strategy, which treats grey and blue hydrogen in the same way as green.

Resource: https://www.renewable-ei.org/en/activities/reports/20221118.php

Authors: Renewable Energy Institute, February 2023