International study understands the costs of carbon dioxide capture

The steel industry is looking for ways to dramatically reduce CO2 emissions. Carbon dioxide capture and sequestration are one alternative. IEA Greenhouse Gas (IEAGHG) is an international research programme whose aims are to assess technologies for reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions caused by use of fossil fuels and to provide programme members with independently reviewed technical assessments.

Carbon capture cost calculations

IEAGHG contacted Swerim for assistance in understanding the costs and problems associated with carbon capture and storage in integrated steelmaking. Together with Tata Steel Consulting UK and SINTEF, Norway, detailed technical models were made and integrated with cost models to obtain independent cost calculations.

Scenarios include various alternatives for carbon dioxide capture, after combustion from conventional integrated steelmaking and for capture from an oxygenfired- blast furnace off-gas.

Report offers a transparent methodology for understanding costs

The report has been published as part of a series of studies and is used as a reference by IEA, UK BERR, Eurofer and ZEP.

“Reporting CO2 avoidance cost alone in assessing the GHG mitigation cost of a complex industrial site such as an integrated steelmill is not enough and could be misleading. This report has demonstrated the different factors that could affect this value. Also the report has more than achieved its objective by providing a transparent methodology for understanding the cost of incorporating CO2 capture in an integrated steelmill,” says Stanley Santos, project manager of Capture & Integrated Systems at IEAGHG.