Canadian steel has a proven track record for reducing carbon emissions. Together with governments, research partners, customers and the supply chain, Canadian steel producers aspire to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Algoma Steel is proud to join in this endeavour.

Reduction in CO2 and NOx Emissions:

Since 1993, Algoma Steel has reduced CO2 emissions by 54% per tonne of shipped steel and the Company continues to identify and implement opportunities to reduce our carbon footprint.

In June 2009, Algoma commissioned a 70 MW combined heat and power cogeneration facility, fueled with cleaned by-product gases from our ironmaking and cokemaking operations. The facility generates both steam and power for the steelworks, reducing Algoma’s reliance on the provincial power grid by 50% on average and freeing up this capacity for the rest of the province.

By reducing our reliance on the provincial power grid, it has been estimated that Algoma’s cogeneration facility offsets 1259 tonnes of NOx, 2391 tonnes of SO2 and 539,616 tonnes of Greenhouse Gas (CO2) from the Ontario air shed previously emitted by the coal-fired facilities. By employing low-NOx burner technology and eliminating the need to flare by-product fuel, the cogeneration facility serves to reduce Algoma’s nitrous oxide emissions by 15% (approximately 400 metric tonnes per year).

Conserving Energy:

Algoma is also the only integrated steel producer in Canada to employ the Direct Strip Production process.  This technology produces hot-rolled sheet by directly casting molten steel and then rolling it into finished and semi-finished product without it ever cooling or having to be re-heated.  Direct strip technology uses nearly 40% less energy than conventional processes which require re-heating of steel slabs from ambient temperatures to rolling temperatures.

In September 2017, Algoma began a corporate initiative to convert lighting to energy-efficient LEDs across the steelworks.