Steel is the most used metal in the world. It is strong, easy to shape, and can be recycled over and over without losing its performance – a valuable characteristic as the UK’s iron ore deposits, like those in the rest of Europe, are now depleted.

To make virgin steel, we import iron ore from countries like Australia and Brazil. It is fed with coke into the top of a blast furnace tower and fired at high temperatures to separate the oxygen from the iron oxides. The oxygen is released as the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, and the molten iron is collected from the bottom. Blast furnaces run continuously because if the metal cools and solidifies, a lump of iron would block the furnace making it inoperable.

This is a disadvantage as production in a blast furnace cannot be reduced in response to lower steel prices, resulting in British Steel’s Scunthorpe furnaces running at a loss. Steelmaking in the UK has been in long-term decline due to its use of older technology and high energy costs. Even the proposed coalmine in Cumbria could not have helped; British Steel reported that the sulphur content of its coking coal is too high for use in blast furnaces.

Around the world, blast furnaces are being replaced by electric arc furnaces. Other countries like Germany, Sweden, India and China are investing in new electric arc technology. Although British Steel’s blast furnaces in Scunthorpe are near the end of their lives, the government wants to keep them going until electric arc furnaces can be built as a replacement, as is already underway at the Tata steel plant in Port Talbot.

Electric arc furnaces are cheaper to run than blast furnaces, offer faster melting and production times, and can be operated intermittently according to market conditions. They can use up to 100% recycled steel scrap, promoting a circular economy and reducing the need to import iron ore. The US makes 70% of its steel from domestic scrap in electric arc furnaces. We currently export our scrap steel to electric arc furnaces in Turkey, Egypt and India.

Electric arc technology passes a high voltage electric current between two electrodes forming an electric arc which is applied directly to the target material to melt metals, so is very efficient. And by using electricity, eliminates the use of coal, significantly reducing carbon emissions.

Arc technology produces high quality steel. UK Steel, the trade association for the UK steel industry, reports that electric arc furnaces are a more advanced and efficient method of steel

production, allowing greater control over the steelmaking process and the production of a wider range of steel grades.

In the UK, Liberty Steel makes high quality steel for the aerospace sector, and Sheffield Forgemasters produces specialised steel for the defence and civil nuclear sector using this technology.

Electric arc technology uses less energy, reduces shipping, is more competitive and able to adapt to market conditions. Modernisation is the best way to secure the future of steelmaking in the UK.