Making carbon-free steel with clean electricity
www.volts.wtf
Steel production generates almost 10% of global carbon emissions and has long been considered “hard to abate.” Enter Boston Metal, a startup that aims to make carbon-free steel using only (sing it with me!) clean electricity. CEO Tadeu Carneiro explains “molten oxide electrolysis” and its potential to transform the industry.

This boston company has developed a new process to manufacture steel using zero carbon dioxide and a whole lot of electricity

  • doubtingtammy
    21·
    7 months ago

    Carbon-free steel is just iron

    [Edit] nevermind I forgot that that I don’t know metallurgy lol

    • GolfNovemberUniform
      15·
      7 months ago

      I think they meant the carbon emissions during the production cycle, not the amount of carbon traces in the product

    • Dippy@beehaw.orgOP
      51·
      7 months ago

      Carbon is just the traditional way of removing oxygen from the iron oxide. There are other ways of purifying the iron. And this method cuts away a lot of steps involving multiple processes and a lot of coal. Give the article a read or listen for more info, it’s really interesting

      • IrritableOcelot@beehaw.org
        5·
        7 months ago

        At least according to Wikipedia, small amounts of carbon (< 2.14%) in the final alloy are an important component in controlling the ductility, which agrees with what I thought I remembered from materials classes (although I am not a materials scientist). Obviously not using the Bessemer process drastically reduces the amount of carbon necessary, but trace carbon is important.

      • doubtingtammy
        2·
        7 months ago

        Thanks for setting me straight! I kinda assumed it was some green washing bs, but the details in the interview are very interesting

  • delirious_owl@discuss.online
    10·
    7 months ago

    This is an an ad for VC funding. German companies have been using wind turbines to generate hydrogen to burn their furnaces for steel refining for years.

    • Dippy@beehaw.orgOP
      4·
      7 months ago

      This process doesn’t use Hydrogen. They briefly discuss the hydrogen powered steel process to cover the bases, but this is a different process.

      As for the Ad allegation, I mean kinda, that’s why the CEO agreed to the interview, but David Roberts just likes interviewing interesting innovators and policy leaders in the climate Tech space.

  • taanegl@beehaw.org
    5·
    7 months ago

    The op and article being sussy baka withstanding, we do understand how the markets work and how balls are pushed forward.

    I however have been greenwashed to before thank you very much and have been jaded enough to consider a life of eco terrorism. I even keep a spare packet of fluoride to sha-shaaw people in the face with in case things get rough.

    I’m watching you, op…

    (PS: In case of mod, /s)

    • Dippy@beehaw.orgOP
      21·
      7 months ago

      I’m deeply confused by your response. The article in question candidly discusses that the process will be as green as the feed it is given in both electricity and materials. The innovation at hand, however, is capable of emission free steel. The emission free steel might not truly happen for a minute, but it is on its way.

      • taanegl@beehaw.org
        13·
        7 months ago

        Oh you can promote your optimism for the future all you want, but I don’t respond well to optimism, and that’s because I’ve seen the light - or rather the darkness - of a market dependant upon venture capital in league with political elites, an unholy alliance forged in an attempt to try and recoup the losses for investments made in beanie babies. Oh sure, the cocaine, sex workers and ritualistic sacrifice are cool at first, as are membership points that come with it, which you can spend in the cabal gift shop for a sex slave to go, but I cannot in good conscience tolerate the terms of service because it requires citizenry in a supposed state.

        And it because of one thing. Do you know what that thing is?

        • Dippy@beehaw.orgOP
          1·
          7 months ago

          I dont know what you’re on about, but I try to focus on how we can improve things because I don’t like being sad and miserable all the time.

  • quicken@aussie.zone
    11·
    7 months ago

    Probably a better article - https://news.mit.edu/2024/mit-spinout-boston-metal-makes-steel-with-electricity-0522

    It’s trying to commercialise MIT research. It’s always hard to tell in this early days if that’ll work out or not.

    There are many other efforts around the world of low or zero carbon emission steel. Almost none of them are cheap enough to take off unless the cost carbon emissions increases a couple of orders of magnitude.

    • Dippy@beehaw.orgOP
      11·
      7 months ago

      This process seems to have a lot going for it in being small, modular, and single step. That theoretically opens the door for smaller steel making businesses which is good for impoverished countries, or for companies that want to make their steel in-house. And he tacked on at the end that a similar process with maybe a better anode and cathode could end up refining a lot of mining “waste” could reduce our mining needs.