Mapping coal use in the UK steel sector
Ember’s UK Steel Database reveals what it is needed to take steel from coal to clean.
To gain a better understanding of the sector, the project team compiled data on UK steelmakers from a range of publicly available resources.
This includes information on plant locations, production type and capacity, workforce, emissions along with other data. We have compiled this data into several publicly accessible resources with varying levels of detail on the UK steel sector.
Coal-free steel
Ember works to accelerate the coal phase-out for electricity generation. As the UK reaches the end of its coal power phase-out journey, we’ve mapped a key remaining sector where coal is still used: iron & steel production.
However, there are exciting opportunities for the sector to become coal-free, and significant demand from the rapid growth in wind power and electric vehicles, to name two sectors heavily reliant on steel.
The context
Ember’s analysis shows that more than three quarters of industrial coal use currently happens in the iron and steelmaking sector. Cutting coal use in primary iron and steel production is challenging since low or zero-carbon steelmaking technologies are not yet mature, the market for zero-carbon steel is unproven, and appetite for new investment in steelmaking remains weak in the UK and Europe due to chronic overcapacity in the sector.
Overview of UK steelmaking
Presentation on decarbonising UK steel:
These slides provide an overview of steelmaking in the UK, including information on:
- UK plants
- Energy use
- Greenhouse gas emissions
- Employment
- Recent investments at Port Talbot and Scunthorpe
New approach required
Steel is integral to modern economies and demand for steel products is expected to grow over the coming decades.
There is, however, pressure on steelmakers to cut emissions to help meet the UK’s target of net-zero economy-wide emissions by 2050.
Policies enacted to achieve that goal have had little effect so far and a clearer vision and focus from government regarding industrial policy will be needed if the UK’s steel industry is to prosper.
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