steelTalks is a monthly series on topics of interest to the global steel community. The lectures are presented in a webinar format with a guest lecturer. In this steelTalk, Dr.-Ing. Thorsten Hauck, Head of Process Optimisation in Iron and Steelmaking at VDEh-Betriebsforschungsinstitut GmbH, will examine the current status of both transitions and explore potential solutions to accelerate progress.
The steel industry stands at the intersection of two defining transformations: decarbonisation and digitalisation. These are not just technological shifts, but also social, economic, and political ones — a bit like performing open-heart surgery while running a marathon.
A few years ago, public discussions painted a simple picture of the future — decarbonisation achieved effortlessly through hydrogen-based direct reduction and electric arc furnaces. In reality, limited energy availability, material costs, and global competitiveness make this journey far more complex.
Similarly, while digitalisation has been discussed for over 30 years, true implementation in steelmaking remains slow. Despite the rise of Industry 4.0 and Artificial Intelligence, most energy-intensive steelmaking processes are still operated manually.
In this steelTalk, Dr.-Ing. Thorsten Hauck, Head of Process Optimisation in Iron and Steelmaking at VDEh-Betriebsforschungsinstitut GmbH, will examine the current status of both transitions and explore potential solutions to accelerate progress.
What you will learn:
– Assess and explain the main approaches and challenges to decarbonise steelmaking.
– Understand the current status and barriers to digitalising the steelmaking process.
– Identify opportunities to align digital and green transformation strategies.
Estimated Time: 1.00 hour