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Energy efficient technologies in the German steel industry – low hanging fruits?

Panel: 4. Undertaking high impact actions: The role of technology and systems optimisation

This is a peer-reviewed paper.

Authors:
Marlene Arens, Environmental and Energy Systems Studies, Sweden
Ernst Worrell, Utrecht University, The Netherlands

Abstract

Energy efficiency has been recognized as the key short- to medium-run strategy to reduce CO2 emissions and energy consumption in a cost-efficient way, in particular for energy-intensive industry sectors like steel production. A major option to increase energy efficiency in energy-intensive industries is the implementation of energy efficient technologies. Several studies estimate the energy saving potential of these technologies. Still little is known on their diffusion as well as on their impact on the overall energy intensity. Do energy efficient technologies diffuse as expected by diffusion theory? Do all energy efficient technologies follow more or less the same diffusion path? In this paper we analyze the diffusion of six energy efficient technologies for the steel industry in Germany since their introduction. Since all technologies have been applied in the German steel industry for more than 30 years we would expect complete diffusion. We derived the diffusion rates based on data such as energy statistics, databases by the German steel association, press releases, annual reports and interviews. We found complete diffusion only for the oldest technologies of our selection. Newer technologies diffused quicker in the initial phase but then their diffusion slowed down. We number the impact of the diffusion of the single technologies on the specific primary energy consumption and we estimate by which amount the primary energy consumption could be reduced if all selected technologies were diffused completely. Furthermore we number the impact of the selected energy efficient technologies on the energy efficiency improvements since their introduction. Finally, based on the interviews we shortly discuss the technology specific diffusion barriers and why these technologies are not sufficiently addressed by policy.

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