Energy is essential in our modern lives. In the developed world, we have come to depend, almost without thinking about it, on reliable and affordable energy to power nearly everything we do. At the mere flick of a switch or the simple push of a button, we have heat, light, electronics and machines powered up and working to make our lives better. And though we rarely stop to wonder about it, steel has always been an important part of supplying our world with the energy we need.
It wasn’t too long ago that the vast majority of our electricity was generated by burning fossil fuels. But as global energy demand continues to grow, and we grapple with the realities of climate change, the energy sector is facing a major transition toward new and renewable power sources with a lower carbon footprint. ArcelorMittal itself has recently announced a bold global target to become carbon-neutral by 2050.
Energy derived from oil, gas and coal will still be used in the decades ahead, but our steelmaking plants in the U.S. are already leading the way in supplying quality, high-strength steel for commercial- and utility-scale wind and solar projects. Last year, renewable energy consumption in the United States grew for the fourth consecutive year. This growth was mostly connected to increased wind- and solar-generated power. Momentum is also building in other forms of renewables, including biomass, hydroelectric, geothermal, and hydrogen-based energy solutions.
Some things are not as simple as flipping a switch, however. This global energy transition will take time and will require tremendous innovation and investment. We are facing an enormous transformation in the world’s energy supply system and the potential shift to a hydrogen-based economy. It is very exciting to think of all the new opportunities it will create for our industry to support a sustainable future. Just as steel helped build our nation’s existing energy infrastructure, we believe steel will continue to not only have a critical role to play in new and “greener” energy markets, but also be an enabler for the energy transition.
Harnessing the power of wind and sun
When you think about renewable energy, the now familiar image of a wind turbine or solar panel probably comes to mind. These things are somewhat commonplace to us today, though that hasn’t always been the case.
But have you ever stopped to consider, what is a wind turbine built of? Known for its strength, durability and other attractive properties, steel is used to create many parts of the wind tower from the base up to the gearbox, but the most obvious steel component is the tower itself. Our facilities in the U.S. can supply plates and hot rolled steels for both onshore and offshore wind towers. The higher the towers are, the more power is generated, and the stronger the steel must be to handle increased loading. So we have developed specialized advanced steel solutions to meet this challenge.
Our steel is used in solar energy installations too, in the frames, posts and mounting components primarily. The structures on which solar panels are mounted are specially designed for the specific geography where they are installed. Solar installations may face challenges related to harsh weather and wind, and others require high levels of precision in positioning the mirrors. If molten salt is used for energy capture, special corrosion-resistant steels are required to contain it. As the solar market has matured, we have developed steel solutions for all of these design challenges, showcasing the versatility of our products and the technical innovations of our teams.
As an example, our Indiana Harbor facility is producing a new and unique high strength structural steel called SS Grade 95 for solar racking applications. SS Grade 95 is more than 18% stronger than the current highest strength structural steel specification, allowing significant opportunity for design optimization in solar projects.
The “power” of innovation
One of the most exciting parts of this transition to clean energy is that it requires new ways of thinking, designing and manufacturing. It simply cannot be achieved without innovation and future-thinking. This creates opportunities for our industry, and it is also our obligation to help the world progress and support generations to come.
In previous postings on this blog, some of my colleagues have shared perspectives about our company’s fascinating journey to invent new advanced high-strength grades of steel for another market: the automotive sector. Challenged by our automotive customers to help design more fuel-efficient vehicles, we have developed steel products and engineered steel solutions that never even existed a decade ago – stronger and more formable so cars are safer, lightweight and generate fewer emissions. This is one of our proudest and most recognizable stories of innovation, and we continue to lead the way as the sector pushes towards even more aggressive standards.
I mention the automotive story here because our innovation in the energy sector mirrors that which we’ve led in the automotive sector, and we are leveraging the creative synergies of our capabilities to serve both markets. Renewable energy applications require stronger structural steels at lighter gauges, special finishes to protect against outdoor environments, and optimized designs for unique applications – not unlike the requirements for automotive. Indeed, the energy, electricity and transportation sectors are becoming increasingly integrated as we look to a more sustainable, low-carbon future.
Steel is and will always be critical for supplying the world with energy. As demand for wind and solar energy grows in the U.S. and around the globe – and as new renewable energy technologies emerge – steel will remain a great enabler for this shift, and our U.S. facilities are well-positioned to supply these growing markets.
Murali Manohar, Ph.D., P.E., head of plates, energy and infrastructure products at ArcelorMittal Global R&D - East Chicago, leads a team of engineering and technical professionals responsible for equipment, research activities and technical support to customers and corporate business units in the areas of plates, hot-rolled coils for energy, and industry and tubular products.
Dr. Manohar earned his Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in materials and welding engineering from The Ohio State University and M.S. and B.Tech degrees in metallurgical engineering from The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He has over 30 years of experience in the steel industry and almost 10 years with Welding Research Institute (BHEL) Trichy, India, before migrating to USA.
Dr. Manohar has authored several papers and publications on welding/weldability, laser surface modification, thermal cutting (laser and plasma) and physical metallurgy of steels. He has organized or co-organized several international conferences/symposia and represents the company in several industry committees. He is a member of several professional societies, honor societies and a peer reviewer for Welding Journal and Met Trans.
