The Group’s energy sources are coal, coke, oil, LPG and electrical power. The consumption of coal and coke is 700 kilos per tonne of finished steel, equal to approx. 5,320 kWh per tonne of finished steel. The consumption of oil, LPG and electrical power is 710 kWh per tonne finished product. Total energy consumption is thus approx. 6,000 kWh per tonne finished steel. Energy husbandry constitutes an important area for the Group. Thus, use is made of the energy-rich gases that are formed in conjunction with steel production in order to replace oil and LPG.

 

These gases are primarily used for underfiring the coke batteries, preheating blast
air for the furnaces and for heating slabs, etc. The gas that cannot be utilised in the Group’s processes is used in heat and power plants for producing electricity and hot water.

 

In Luleå and Oxelösund municipalities, the hot water produced in the heat and power plants accounts for more than 90% of the heating needs in the respective district heating network. In total, 829 GWh of hot water were supplied from the heat and power plants. This corresponds to approx. 280,000 m3 of wood pellets or similar fuel. A comparison with typical emissions for a fossil fuel boiler demonstrates that emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulates are more than three times as high than when gases from the steel operations are used. Production of crude steel during the financial year totalled 3,966 (4,142) thousand tonnes.