Severstal to Provide Electricity Through Use Of Secondary Energy Resources
The Cherepovets Steel Mill one of the largest integrated steel plants in the world (part of the Severstal Russian Steel division), will increase electricity generation through the utilization of industrial gases. CherMK consumes 5.9 billion kWh of electricity per year, of which 78% is generated independently. The company's goal within the strategic priority “Leadership in Costs” is to increase the share of its own generation in total consumption up to 95% by 2025. The work of new sources of generation is planned to be provided through the utilization of secondary energy resources coke, blast furnace and converter gases, which are formed in the process of production.
According to the CEO of Severstal Mr Alexander Shevelev, this task has already been implemented at CherMK for blast furnace and coke oven gases. Currently, Severstal is choosing a technical solution for the utilization of energy from converter gases as a fuel for electricity production. He added that “In the current situation, when CherMK meets the demand for electricity with its own generation by 78%, the share of secondary fuel use for its production is 27.9%. Based on the results of the implementation of our program, we plan to increase the utilization of secondary gases for electricity production up to 33.9%. At the same time, one of the most important effects will be environmental: reduction of pollutant emissions to 12,000 tonnes per year, and CO2 - more than 200,000 tonnes. Utilization of converter gas will reduce the purchase of natural gas for CherMK by 200 million m3 per year, which also complies with our principles of responsible attitude to environmental issues and energy conservation. Thus, the project to increase electricity generation through the use of secondary resources immediately meets three of the 17 UN sustainable development goals, In addition, in accordance with the UN sustainable development goals, the company maintains an optimal balance between the ratio of scrap metal and cast iron in the steel produced. Scrap is the main component in steelmaking in electric steel furnaces. The share of secondary raw materials in one 125 ton smelting significantly exceeds the share of cast iron and amounts to 70%. For example, in 2018, about 900 thousand tonnes of scrap metal was used in the production of electric steel at CherMK.”
Mr Alexander Shevelev said that “Gas utilization projects are also being implemented at Severstal’s resource assets. So, Vorkutaugol JSC uses mine methane, a gas related to greenhouse, for boiler houses. Methane from coal seams is transferred to the surface using vacuum pumping stations, where Vorkutinskaya, Komsomolskaya, Zapolyarnaya and Vorgashorskaya are used as fuel for boiler mines. The Vorkutaugol mine methane degassing and utilization project is unique to Russia. In 2018, the mine boiler companies combined utilized 73% of the total degassing methane, which is 77.5 million cubic meters of gas.”
Source : Strategic Research Institute