Industrial Decarbonization Roadmap (energy.gov)
Plasma is referenced in various parts of this report...here is one...
2.1.3RD&D Needs and Opportunities for the Iron and Steel Industry This section explores the RD&D challenges and opportunities of the decarbonization pillars (EE, industrial electrification, LCFFES, and CCUS) and what should be the priority approaches. The technologies covered in this section represent a wide range of technological maturity and market readiness. Figure 16 maps steel decarbonization technologies along these axes. The rest of this section discusses the specific challenges and opportunities for RD&D related to each of these decarbonization measures. Iron and Steel Industry: Priority Approaches Breakthroughs are needed in furnace gas recovery, implementation of low-carbon H2 in DRI at scale, electrification of re-heat furnaces, production of iron by electrolysis, H2 plasma smelting reduction, and top-gas recycling. Technical assistance on developing mature strategic energy management systems in iron and steel facilities, technical assistance on deploying existing low-capital energy efficiency, waste heat recovery (including waste heat to power), and other decarbonization technologies. Demonstration and rapid adoption of smart manufacturing and Internet of Things technologies to increase energy productivity. Technology deployment activities that enable and accelerate the transition to lower-carbon fuels and process heat solutions, including demonstrations at scale and techno-economic analyses that show cost competitiveness (e.g., electric induction furnaces, use of clean hydrogen in blast furnaces). Investments focused on reducing cost and improving efficiency of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies to decarbonize different routes of steel production, such as top-gas recycling in blast furnaces with CCS
