Our research and development expertise is helping to drive the development of more sustainable construction and manufacturing materials
We are putting our industry-leading research and development (R&D) expertise behind the drive for more sustainable construction and manufacturing. As a result, all our new products are now developed with energy and resource efficiency in mind.
ArcelorMittal is the largest recycler of scrap steel in the world, and we work with local and national governments to promote it further. Every year more than 25 million tonnes of our products are recovered and recycled, which saves around 36 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2). We also have a dedicated team to evaluate our processes and products using a life-cycle assessment methodology. This analyses every stage in the life of a piece of steel from mining and processing to use, recycling and eventual disposal.
Steel production is a particularly energy-intensive process, which is why it is key to our efforts to address climate change. More efficient use of gas and furnaces and heat recovery is especially important, but we’re also working to reduce emissions of nitrous oxide, sulphur dioxide and volatile organic compounds from our coke ovens, sintering plants and coating lines.
Customer focus
We also try to help our customers improve their own environmental performance by developing new uses for steel. We are working on using advanced steel for electrical engines and rail transport, which will help reduce CO2 emissions, and we have a growing presence in wind turbines, green construction materials, fuel-efficient cars and solar panels.
Steel is an essential component in wind generation, supplying the bases, towers and many of the moving parts of wind turbines. Around 85% of the world’s wind turbines are installed on tubular steel structures, and one in three uses ArcelorMittal steel. Our R&D centres are working on new techniques that could allow turbines to be installed on towers that are more than 100 metres high, which would increase the performance of higher-capacity wind generators.
In the long term we may find answers to climate change in some of the breakthrough technologies we’re exploring with a number of the world’s leading universities. We are also working independently on a number of sustainable new products and processes, from more efficient processes in our own plants, to the production of new electrical steels that drastically reduce energy loss and could have a significant impact on the car industry.