Evaluating Carbon Emissions from Electric Arc Furnace Steel Plants in the United States

Iron and steel production accounts for 11% of global carbon emissions. However, the majority of steel plants in the United States rely on electric arc furnaces (EAF), rather than the coal-burning furnaces that are more commonly used in the rest of the world.  Therefore, EAF steel plants in the US have relatively low direct (Scope 1) carbon emissions but relatively high indirect (Scope 2) carbon emissions. While Scope 1 emissions data is publicly available, there’s currently no transparency or accountability for the Scope 2 emissions associated with EAF steel plants. Global Energy Monitor, an organization dedicated to open, accessible data, tracks steel plants globally, and seeks to understand the carbon emissions associated with EAF steel production. This project provides the first facility-level analysis of indirect carbon emissions from EAF steel plants in the US. As the US steel industry seeks to decarbonize and promote green steel, understanding the Scope 2 emissions of EAF steel production is essential. The calculated emissions and emissions intensity for each steel plant are available in a public dataset as well as an interactive Tableau dashboard. 

Acknowledgements

Bren School: Roland Geyer, Professor; Ruth Oliver, Assistant Professor; Naomi Tague, Professor

Global Energy Monitor: Caitlin Swalec, Program Director, Heavy Industry