Why is the Steel Industry Asking for More Regulation on Emissions?

Because when life cycle emissions are considered, in addition to the regular tailpipe emissions, steel-intensive designs of vehicles will provide the lowest total emissions.

The Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI), a business unit of the American Iron and Steel Institute, whose investors include: AK Steel, ArcelorMittal Dofasco, ArcelorMittal USA, Nucor Corp., Severstal North America Inc., ThyssenKrupp Steel USA, and US Steel Corp., is touting a study "Preparing for a Life Cycle CO2 Measure" that says vehicle manufacturing emissions can represent 23% - 46% of total vehicle emissions.

So the group is actively pursuing the life cycle assessment (LCA) approach through the FutureSteelVehicle (FSV) program, which demonstrates the design of a low-emitting vehicle on a life cycle assessment basis at essentially no additional cost.

FSV is designed based on new materials and technologies overlapping the future regulatory period to reduce weight by 35% and life cycle emissions by nearly 70% over a benchmark vehicle.

The reason that steel will lower emission is because advanced high-strength steels produce low emissions during material and vehicle manufacturing, especially compared to other structural materials, the group says. Further, these steel grades reduce emissions during the driving phase and are 100% recycled at the end of the vehicle's life.

To view the study recently released by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership click here.

For information on the FutureSteelVehicle program click here.