Electric Arc Furnaces for Scrap Steel

Electric arc furnaces (EAFs) are the cornerstone of steel decarbonization, enabling flexible, electrified, circular production using scrap (recycled) and green direct reducted iron (DRI). Emissions can drop by ~80% or more when paired with clean electricity, although scaling depends on scrap availability, grid resilience, and access to renewable power. EAF adoption is surging worldwide—by 2030, models forecast EAF capacity may reach 40% of global steelmaking

• Scrap-fed melting: EAFs use electricity to fully melt recycled steel scrap or direct reduced iron (DRI), replacing fossil-fuel-based blast furnaces.
• Flexible operations: Rapid start/stop capability enables dynamic operation aligned with renewable energy availability.
• Modular & scalable: Ranges from small foundry units (~1 ton capacity) to giant steelmakers (~400 tons), enabling both primary and mini-mill deployment.

Industrial Impact

• Electric arc melting: Graphite electrodes generate arcs reaching ~1,800 °C to melt steel feedstock.
• Feedstock flexibility: Runs on 100% scrap or hybrid input (scrap + DRI), including green hydrogen-derived DRI.
• Refining stages: Equipped with emission control, alloying, and continuous casting systems for end-product quality.

Emissions & Efficiency Impact

• 80%+ CO2 reduction vs blast-furnace/basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) routes when powered by renewable electricity.
• 70–75% lower GHG emissions reported by producers using EAF and scrap-focused systems.
• Circular economy: Uses recycled steel as feedstock, cutting raw iron mining and coke consumption.

Supply Chain & Bottlenecks

• Electricity demand: Large EAFs require 100s MWh per melt, stressing grids—“violent” power spikes require robust energy infrastructure and demand-response capacity.
• Scrap supply limits: Quality and availability of scrap are bottlenecks; some steelmakers blend with DRI to maintain purity.
• Renewable power access: Clean-electric operation depends on accessible, affordable renewable electricity.
• Capital expenditure: EAF plants have lower build costs vs blast furnaces, but significant overhead remains
• Grid integration: Need advanced controls, energy storage, and thermal integration to manage high transient loads.