Strategic partnership secures electrode supply to the electric furnace
Metallurgy analyses in the steelmaking plant play a decisive role in the transformation to climate-friendly steel production as part of the greentec steel program. Group-wide purchasing of auxiliary and operating equipment for the electric arc furnaces in Linz and Donawitz faces particular challenges. Conductive graphite electrodes as a central input material in the melting process of the electric furnace as well as numerous other input materials must meet the highest requirements.
How graphite electrodes work
Graphite electrodes are the spark plugs of the electric furnace. When current passes through the electrodes, an arc is created between the tip of the electrode and the underlying raw material. This generates extreme heat and melts the material.
Sustainable, reliable, digital
A strategic partnership with an internationally leading electrode supplier ensures long-term supply to the Group. The electrodes come from a European supplier and meet the highest quality standards. Short delivery routes ensure a stable supply and minimize risks in the supply chain.
Another advantage is the predictable and market-compliant pricing that enables reliable calculation. At the same time, digitalization is emphasized: Initial tests with RFID and QR code systems for the automated detection of electrodes show promising results and have paved the way for intelligent storage and consumption monitoring on site in the steelmaking plant.This partnership and technological innovation is a significant step toward a more sustainable future in the steelmaking industry from an ecological, economical and digital point of view.
To greentec steel
The greentec steel project of voestalpine is an ambitious step-by-step plan that makes a valuable contribution to the achievement of the climate goals. As a first step, the voestalpine Group plans to replace two blast furnaces with two electric arc furnaces (EAFs) by the year 2027. The investment volume amounts to roughly 1.5 billion euros.
Carbon emissions can be reduced by up to 30% as early as 2029 by making this switch from the blast furnace to the EAF. This corresponds to a savings of nearly 4 million tons of CO2 per year, amounting to nearly 5% of the carbon emissions in Austria. This makes greentec steel the largest climate protection program in Austria.
The two electric-arc furnaces will enable voestalpine to produce roughly 2.5 million tons of carbon-reduced steel by the year 2027, roughly 1.6 million tons in Linz and 850,000 tons in Donawitz. Learn more about greentec steel here.