To what extent could biochar replace coal and coke in steel industries?

Review article, 2023

The iron and steel making is considered among the biggest industries which run the world. This industry contributes around 20% of global industrial-sector energy consumption that is provided significantly by coal and coke. The fossil-based fuels are consumed largely for heat generation and reducing agents in steel production processes which leads to huge global CO2 emissions. This matter encourages to find an effective, environmentally friendly, and sustainable substitute instead of coke and coal. Recently, biochar has received lots of consideration as a possible replace since the acceptable adaptation and comparable metallurgical properties to coal and coke. However, the biomass application in iron and steel making manufactures is currently limited and it endures strong competition with coal-based fuels. This paper investigates the key challenges affected on the steel production plant and the ability of biochar to overcome these difficulties. This work evaluates coal and coke substitution with biochar, focusing on metallurgical, technical and environmental aspects with the view of gate-to-gate analysis, from industry entry gate (input feedstocks that are coal or biochar) to exit gate (that is steel production). Moreover, the opportunities and obstacles of biochar performance in energy-intensive processes in steel production such as coke-making, sintering and blast furnace are discussed and finally, the main questions regarding the evaluation of these alternatives and their impacts on the system are answered.