United States Steel Corporation and CarbonFree, a provider of carbon capture technology, have signed a definitive agreement to capture carbon emissions generated from U. S. Steel’s Gary Works Blast Furnaces in a first-of-its-kind project.
The project will use CarbonFree’s SkyCycle™ technology to capture and mineralize up to 50,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, equivalent to emissions produced by nearly 12,000 passenger cars annually, and will have the opportunity to be expanded in the years to come, according to a news release.
U. S. Steel’s involvement aligns with its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions intensity 20% by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. In addition, the initial SkyCycle project responds to the increasing demand for low emissions products, such as verdeX™ advanced sustainable steel, from customers. The project is the first step in exploring the scalability of this technology for potential future implementation across the enterprise.
Construction on the SkyCycle plant in the U. S. Steel Gary Works facility is expected to commence as early as summer 2024 with operations projected to begin in 2026. The definitive agreement has a term of 20 years following its in-service date.
CarbonFree’s patented SkyCycle solution captures carbon emissions from hard-to-abate industrial sources before they enter the atmosphere and converts them into a carbon-neutral version of calcium carbonate, which is essential to the creation of paper and plastics, as well as personal care, paint, and building products. CarbonFree-produced calcium carbonate made from captured carbon dioxide can help decarbonize global supply chains by enabling manufacturers to reduce Scope 3 emissions, or it can be stored in an environmentally conscious way without the need for pipelines or disposal wells.
“U. S. Steel is setting a precedent for how manufacturers can and must proactively manage their carbon emissions, and CarbonFree is honored to play a role in this legacy,” said Martin Keighley, CEO of CarbonFree. “At CarbonFree, we are pioneering profitable carbon capture utilization through disruptive specialty chemical manufacturing using waste carbon dioxide as a primary feedstock. As carbon capture continues to be recognized as an indispensable solution on the path to carbon neutrality for carbon-intensive industries, we look forward to helping U. S. Steel achieve its decarbonization goals while providing economic and environmental benefits to the city of Gary and state of Indiana.”
By leveraging cutting-edge carbon capture technologies, U. S. Steel and CarbonFree aim to revolutionize the steel manufacturing industry, reducing carbon emissions and environmental impact. The partnership will likely enable U. S. Steel to offer steel used in the automotive, appliance, and packaging industries with a significantly reduced carbon footprint.
In addition to capturing carbon dioxide, CarbonFree will use slag produced by the blast furnace operation as part of the calcium carbonate production process.
“Innovating to capture carbon at an integrated mill is the latest example of how steel is enabling a more sustainable future,” said Scott Buckiso, Senior Vice President & Chief Manufacturing Officer, U. S. Steel. “Moreover, U. S. Steel has a history of ‘firsts’ that we’re confidently building on. Using SkyCycle technology for the first project of its kind in North America should benefit the community for generations to come.”
