Energy conservation, CO2 and pollutant abatement, and cost performance of advanced technologies in China's iron and steel sector

Assessing the energy conservation and pollutant abatement performance of advanced technologies is critical for achieving deep decarbonization in the iron and steel industry (ISI). Research on ultra-low-emission technologies that integrates energy consumption, carbon accounting, and air pollutant abatement remains lacking. Accordingly, industrial application cases of energy-efficient technologies and end-ofpipe measures in the ISI were investigated, including 12-emerging and 2-existing technologies. The primary material and energy flows for these 14 technologies were identified, and key techno-economic parameters were collected. A comprehensive assessment framework based on emission factors and the conservation supply curve was developed to quantify energy consumption, CO 2 and air pollutant abatement, and the associated abatement cost. The results revealed that (1) end-of-pipe measures mainly consume energy, except for wet removal technologies for converters (T13) and dry dust removal technology (T14); (2) CCS technology of T10 has the greatest potential to mitigate CO 2 , and the total net emission reductions are 0.523–0.680 tCO 2 /t-cs. T04 has a synergistic benefit in reducing other fuel consumption, such as preheated natural gas, oxygen, carbon power and electrode. and (3) after considering environmental benefits, the abatement costs for T03, electric arc furnace scrap continuous preheating and feeding technology (T04), T07, T11, electrostatic precipitator technology (T12) and T14 were below zero, and more attention could be focused on these technologies' priority for promotion. (4) technology portfolio case 4 including T07, bag filter (T11) and T14 achieved the best energy savings, NOx and dust removal capacity. Case 2 with limestone–gypsum desulfurization (T06), T12 and T14 achieved the best CO 2 , SO 2 and PM 2.5 emission reduction effect.