CO2 emissions have been identified as the main driver for climate change, with devastating consequences for the global natural environment. The steel industry is responsible for ~7–11% of global CO2 emissions, due to high fossil-fuel and energy consumption. The onus is therefore on industry to remedy the environmental damage caused and to decarbonise production. This desk research report explores the Bio Steel Cycle (BiSC) and proposes a seven-step-strategy to overcome the emission challenges within the iron and steel industry. The true levels of combined CO2 emissions from the blast-furnace and basic-oxygen-furnace operation, at 4.61 t of CO2 emissions/t of steel produced, are calculated in detail. The BiSC includes CO2 capture, implementing renewable energy sources (solar, wind, green H2) and plantation for CO2 absorption and provision of biomass. The 7-step-implementation-strategy starts with replacing energy sources, develops over process improvement and installation of flue gas carbon capture, and concludes with utilising biogas-derived hydrogen, as a product from anaerobic digestion of the grown agrifood in the cycle. In the past, CO2 emissions have been seemingly underreported and underestimated in the heavy industries, and implementing the BiSC, using the provided seven-steps-strategy will potentially result in achieving net-zero CO2 emissions in steel manufacturing by 2030.

CO2 emissions have been identified as the main driver for climate change, with devastating consequences for the global natural environment. The steel industry is responsible for ca. 8%-11% of global CO2 emissions, due to high fossil-fuel and energy consumption. The onus is therefore on industry to remedy the environmental damage caused and to decarbonise production. This desk research report follows a two-tiered route: 1) exploring the Bio Steel Cycle; 2) proposing a seven-step strategy to overcome the challenges within the iron and steel industry. The true levels of CO2 emissions in the steelmaking process, during the blast-furnace/basic-oxygen-furnace operation, will be detailed first, at 4.61t of CO2 emissions/t of steel produced. The manuscript proposes a solution for reduced carbon emissions steelmaking with the Bio Steel Cycle components and detail on how to reach net-zero carbon emissions steel production. The 7-step-implementation-strategy as a potential solution to achieve net and true zero carbon emissions steel production in the short to medium-term. The findings of this are pointing towards the conclusion that CO2 emissions seem to have been under-reported and under-estimated in the past, but the emission can be addressed if the correct scenarios for net-zero steel manufacturing are implemented by 2050.