Since her studies in mining engineering, focusing on metallurgy, at the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) over 25 years ago, Helena has been immersed in research and development for the industrial sector. After spending almost two decades at ABB, Helena assumed the role as Research Manager at Jernkontoret 6 years ago.

“During my time at ABB, I focused a lot on research collaboration with academia, which is something that I’ve continued doing in my current role as well. Today I also drive research in energy and furnace technology and digitalization in partnership with the Swedish steel industry.”

The dedication for research and development is rooted in the long history of the metals sector - a field that has evolved over thousands of years.

AN historic industry

“This is a very old industry, and we could produce iron several thousands of years ago. But the main breakthrough for iron production was when we started using blast furnaces, which was already in the 12th century in Sweden. And in a blast furnace you reduce iron ore with coke to produce iron. And this is actually still the main process for steel production or iron production”.

The industry was also an early adopter of recycling. “We started using electric arc furnaces to remelt scrap more than 100 years ago.” Today, about two thirds of steel is produced from iron ore, while one third comes from remelted scrap, a testament to the sector’s long-standing commitment to resource efficiency. However, steel usage is increasing so rapidly that the supply of scrap cannot keep up, which is why a significant portion of steel still needs to be produced from iron ore.

Growth and environmental challenges

The metals industry is currently addressing the need to lower carbon emissions while meeting increasing global demand for its products. As covered in ABB’s recent white paper “Future-proofing metals” 57% of industry executives believe that decarbonization objectives should be incorporated into corporate strategy, and 61% report greater confidence in aligning growth opportunities with sustainability targets.

“Global production of crude steel has doubled since the year 2000 and we foresee a huge increase in the future too. And I've seen figures like an increase of about 30 % the next coming 25 years.” However, this growth comes with significant environmental challenges. Producing steel, especially from iron ore, generates substantial CO₂ emissions; about 8% of all global emissions.

“Right now, techniques are being developed to use hydrogen instead of coke to reduce iron ore to iron. This is actually very clever because if you use coke, you will produce CO₂, but if you use hydrogen you will produce water.” Since the reduction step accounts for 85% of emissions in steelmaking, this innovation could have a major impact.

Other approaches include using bio-coke, biogas, and electrifying processes where possible. But Helena emphasized that improving the properties of steel, making it stronger, more corrosion-resistant, and longer-lasting also reduces the need for raw materials and further lessens environmental impact.

Digitalization and optimization

Modern steel plants generate vast amounts of data. “By using smart sensors, big data analytics, and machine learning, we can optimize production processes,” Helena said. Digital transformation plays a crucial role in enhancing decision-making and boosting operational efficiency, enabling manufacturers to manage energy use effectively, optimize production processes, and align with low-carbon energy sources. This approach is essential for staying competitive and compliant as regulations continue to tighten. In fact, findings in the “Future-proofing metals” whitepaper show that there is an improvement potential of approximately 15-20% in energy usage for many facilities around the world.

As an example, Helena mentions new techniques for blast furnaces. “We’ve been using blast furnaces since the 12^th century, and we have been optimizing it ever since. So now when we're starting with new metallurgical techniques, of course we will need to have to continue to work with optimizing them too.”

Looking ahead

Transitioning to greener steel production requires more than just new technology. “This transition cannot be done without access to the right competencies. So, we need to have very skilled co-workers and especially competencies within new metallurgical processes.”

“Another very important part for us is also access to electricity. It will be very important for us to have access to stable CO₂ free electricity. Steel production is very energy consuming and we foresee a large increase in electrical energy demand - since  new reduction processes will use electricity as an energy source instead of coal, and we also try to electrify other parts of production. This will be critical for the steel industry.”

Collaboration is essential. Global co-operation and partnerships with academia are vital for driving the research and innovation needed for this transformation. “It’s not just the steel manufacturers; it involves the whole value chain – from iron ore to car producers to end customers.”

Future-proofing metals

The metals and mining sectors amount to a $4 trillion industry – around 35% of which comes from steel alone. But to support an ever-growing society that will continue to thrive for generations to come, metals must be sourced and produced in a way that aligns with a carbon-neutral future.

In our recent white paper, we delve into how integrating electrification, automation and digitalization can shape the path to sustainability. Explore the full white paper. To hear more from Helena and other industry experts, listen to the dedicated episode on The Process Automation Podcast.