Ten routes compared side by side. These cover smelting reduction, natural gas and hydrogen DRI paired with either an EAF or an electric smelting furnace (ESF-BOF), alkaline iron electrolysis, molten oxide electrolysis, and scrap-EAF.
Three layers of carbon accounting. Results are shown for direct CO₂, then direct CO₂ plus electricity, then a full LCA with upstream supply chain impacts and environmental credits. You can see how the ranking of routes shifts at each step.
The role of co-product credits. The paper explains how slag valorisation, process gas recovery and petrochemical co-products change the comparison, and where those credits do and don’t apply.
A decarbonisation classification for each route. Every route is rated for fossil carbon dependency, carbon lock-in risk and the conditions it needs to deliver deep reductions.
An indicative short-, medium- and long-term pathway. Facility characteristics are matched to the routes best suited to them.
