Turning Challenge into Opportunity 2025

Technology Technology descriptionTechnology readiness level (TRL) TRL rationale Use cases Use case source(s) Green steel: replacement of coal in the steelmaking process with biomassBiomass injection into blast furnaces is already applied commercially in Brazil, as it can be used as a reductant. However, not all types of biomass are suitable for direct injection, and some types require small-scale, less efficient blast furnaces due to the lower compressive strength of charcoal compared to coke. A less mature technology route is the conversion or upgrading of biomass to a coal-like material through torrefaction or pyrolysis, in which biomass is heated to temperate in the range of 200 °C to 400 °C in the absence of oxygen. The ‘bio-coal’ has characteristics more similar to coal than the original biomass. Such bio- coal can be used in standard blast furnaces to replace a portion of injected coal.9 IEA, 2025. ETP Clean Energy Technology GuideRio Tinto is developing a process called BioIron™, which uses raw biomass (instead of coal) plus microwave energy to convert iron ore into iron (or reduce iron oxide) in a low- carbon route.Rio Tinto, 2025. Decarbonizing steel making: innovative solutions and progress Green steel: replacement of coal in the steelmaking process with inorganic wasteGreen steel could be produced by substituting coal with inorganic waste. This includes paper, plastic and other waste. The inorganic waste is gasified and used as a reducing agent, replacing coal, to produce the necessary heat and reducing gases for the steelmaking process.7 Deloitte analysis Piloting and scaling- up various waste materials that can replace coal.Nippon Steel has published a report aiming to import carbonized products from waste and use those as a substitute for coal in iron/ steelmaking. Their technical report states that by using the carbonized product derived from waste, they can substitute 1 tonne of coal and avoid significant CO2 emissions.Nippon Steel, 2022. Advanced technologies for steel and sustainability Steel: blast furnace – converting off-gases into chemicalsWaste gases from steel plants have contaminants removed, then a catalyst is used to produce chemicals (e.g. ammonia, methanol) from these gases.7 IEA, 2025. ETP Clean Energy Technology GuideThyssenkrupp Carbon2Chem project (Germany) aims to take steel mill gases/blast furnace off-gases (SMGs/BFG) and use them to produce chemicals such as methanol, ammonia, or synthetic fuels/plastics. At their Duisburg steelworks, they run pilot-scale demonstration of chemical utilization of steel mill gases. The process involves capturing/ conditioning the off-gases (CO, CO2, H2) and feeding them to catalytic synthesis steps to make basic chemical building blocks.Thyssenkrupp, 2025. Carbon2Chem: turning industrial gases into valuable resources Steel: blast furnace – converting off- gases into fuelsSteel produced by the conversion of gases into fuels with a blast furnace is a method of steel production that involves the use of waste or surplus gases, such as CO2, as a fuel source in the blast furnace. The gases are converted into a fuel, such as syngas, which is then used to replace traditional fossil fuels, such as coal, in the steelmaking process. This helps reduce waste and minimize emissions from the blast furnace. Utilizing these off-gases as fuels can provide a more sustainable and efficient steel production process, helping to reduce the carbon footprint of the industry.8 IEA, 2025. ETP Clean Energy Technology GuideThe company Utility has developed H2Gen, a process that produces hydrogen directly from blast furnace off-gases (BFG) + other steel plant gases, in one reactor step under field conditions. This essentially converts the off-gas into H2 fuel (a clean fuel) rather than flaring or waste.PR Newswire, 2025. Industry-first hydrogen production from steel manufacturing off-gases Turning Challenge into Opportunity: Supplier Voices from Heavy-Emitting Sectors 67