Industrial Technologies Program — Boosting the Productivity and 

Competitiveness of U.S. Industry 

Industry consumes 33 percent of all energy used in the United States. By developing and adopting more 

energy efficiency technologies, U.S. industry can boost its productivity and competitiveness while 

strengthening national energy security, improving the environment, and reducing emissions linked to global 

climate change. 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) works in 

partnership with U.S. industry to increase the efficiency of energy and materials use, both now and in the 

future. Through an innovative strategy known as Industries of the Future (IOF), EERE’s Industrial 

Technologies Program (ITP) seeks to improve the energy intensity of the U.S. industrial sector through a 

coordinated program of research and development (R&D), validation, and dissemination of energy efficiency 

technologies and operating practices. ITP develops, manages, and implements a balanced portfolio that 

addresses industry requirements throughout the technology development cycle. The primary long-term 

strategy is to invest in high-risk, high-return R&D. Investments are focused on technologies and practices 

that provide clear public benefit but for which market barriers prevent adequate private-sector investment. 

The IOF strategy maximizes the energy and environmental benefits of ITP’s process-specific technology 

investments by forming collaborative partnerships with energy-intensive industries. These collaborations aim 

to effectively plan and implement comprehensive R&D agendas and help disseminate and share best energy 

management practices throughout the United States. The IOF public-private partnerships also facilitate 

voluntary efforts, such as the President’s Climate VISION initiative, to encourage industry and government 

to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. ITP focuses its resources on a small number of energy-intensive materials 

and process industries that account for over 75 percent of industrial energy consumption: 

• Aluminum • Glass • Petroleum Refining 

• Chemicals • Metal Casting • Steel 

• Forest Products • Mining 

ITP also conducts R&D projects on enabling technologies that are common to many industrial processes such 

as industrial energy systems, combustion, materials, and sensors and process control systems. In addition, 

ITP funds technical assistance activities to stimulate near-term adoption of best energy-saving technologies 

and practices within industry. These activities include plant assessments, tool development and training, 

information dissemination, and showcase demonstrations. 

New technologies that use energy efficiently also lower emissions and improve productivity. By leveraging 

technical and financial resources of industry and government, the IOF partnerships have generated 

significant energy and environmental improvements that benefit the nation and America’s businesses. 

Energy-intensive industries face enormous competitive pressures that make it difficult to make the necessary 

R&D investments in technology to ensure future efficiency gains. Without a sustained commitment by the 

private and public sectors to invest in new technology R&D and deployment, the ability to close the gap 

between U.S. energy supply and demand will be severely compromised. 

i
CONTENTS 

Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................................... iv


Industry Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 1


Energy Use in Steelmaking ................................................................................................................................... 1


Steel Industry Shipments ..................................................................................................................................... 3


World Steel Production ........................................................................................................................................ 4


The Challenge ..................................................................................................................................................... 5


An Energy-Intensive Industry .............................................................................................................................. 5


Strategy for Improving Steel Industry Energy Efficiency ..................................................................................... 6


FY 2003 Highlights and Accomplishments ...................................................................................................... 7


R&D Highlights .................................................................................................................................................... 8


Partnership Highlights ....................................................................................................................................... 10


Improving Energy Efficiency Today ................................................................................................................... 10


Disseminating Research Results to Industry ...................................................................................................... 11


Energy Analysis - Targeting Energy Efficiency.................................................................................................... 11


Climate VISION ................................................................................................................................................. 12


Tools, Publications, and Resources Available ................................................................................................. 13


How To Get Involved and Contact Information ............................................................................................ 14


Partnership Information ................................................................................................................................... 14


Access to Resources and Expertise....................................................................................................................... 14


Where to Go to Get More Information............................................................................................................. 15


ii
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

EXHIBITS 

. 2001 Steel Shipments by Market Classification ............................................................................................ 1


. Energy Use in the Steel Industry................................................................................................................... 2


. Energy Footprint of the U.S. Steel Industry ................................................................................................. 3


. U.S. Net Shipments of Steel Mill Products ................................................................................................... 3


. 2001 World Production of Raw Steel ............................................................................................................ 4


. Steel Portfolio Pathways ............................................................................................................................... 6


. Steel Research Projects Completed in FY 2003 .............................................................................................. 7


. Active Steel Research Projects in FY 2003 ...................................................................................................... 7


. Examples of Other EERE Research Projects Relevant to the Steel Industry ................................................... 8


iii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

Steel is one of the most energy-intensive industries in the United States. The steel industry is critical to the 

U.S. economy, providing the backbone of construction, transportation, and manufacturing as well as being 

the material of choice for a variety of consumer products. Traditionally valued for its strength, steel has also 

become one of the most recycled materials, with two-thirds of U.S. steel now produced from scrap. 

Since the late 1990s, the U.S. steel industry has been hurt by large quantities of low-cost imports stemming 

from excess global steelmaking capacity and a collapse in Asian demand. This crisis has exacerbated the 

industry’s existing problem of low profits and relatively low investment in research and development. 

Permanent technology changes, rather than short-term fixes, are needed to revolutionize the way energy is 

used in the manufacturing of iron and steel. Unfortunately, the industry is unable to support high-risk, 

long-term research on revolutionary technologies that could change the way steel is made and greatly reduce 

its energy requirements. 

Public-private research partnerships, such as those fostered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of 

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Industrial Technologies Program (ITP), are critical to 

maintaining the global competitive position of the U.S. steel industry. Studies sponsored by EERE have 

quantified the opportunity for saving energy in steelmaking (defined as the difference between today’s 

energy use and the practical minimum energy use). The DOE goal in this area is: by 2020 to develop 

technologies that will capture half of this opportunity – equivalent to an 18 percent decrease in energy 

intensity over values projected for 2010. 

A Successful Partnership with Industry 

DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy leads federal development of advanced energy-


efficient and environmentally friendly industrial technologies. Steel industry R&D is a component of the


overall EERE strategy and contributes to reducing the energy intensity of industry, a goal outlined in the


National Energy Policy.


EERE/ITP’s Industries of the Future (IOF) strategy was designed to foster industry-government partnerships in


economically imperative, energy-intensive U.S. industries such as steel. This strategy has created the impetus


for industry to develop long-term visions and roadmaps. Visions establish long-term goals for the future,


while roadmaps outline the R&D pathways for achieving the goals. The Steel Industry Technology Roadmap,


published in 1998 and revised in 2002, has provided the basis for solicitations of pre-competitive R&D that


addresses both energy efficiency goals outlined in the National Energy Policy and steel industry research


priorities. This successful industry-government partnership has now evolved to a point where it is focusing


on potentially high-impact research to make revolutionary


improvements in ironmaking and steelmaking.
 Steel Goal for 2020: Reduce the energy 

Strong industry involvement ensures direct application of research intensity of both ore-based and EAF


results and testifies to the importance of this cost-shared research steelmaking by 18 percent over projected


partnership. A major collaborator in this partnership is the values for 2010


American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), which manages projects


that address key priorities defined by the industry under the Technology Roadmap Program (TRP). Involving 

industry in the early R&D stages helps accelerate the development and application of energy-efficiency 

technologies. The partnership also emphasizes university and national laboratory-based research in order to 

tap into the technical resources of our nation’s educational institutions and national laboratory systems. 

Achieving Energy Savings: Portfolio Strategy 

The Steel portfolio supports cost-shared, pre-competitive research addressing technological needs that have 

broad application throughout the steel industry. ITP has devised a strategy to foster both revolutionary 

ironmaking and steelmaking technologies and incremental improvements to existing processes, thereby 

addressing long-term goals, as well as short-term needs. ITP also strives to expand the industry’s fundamental 

base of knowledge to optimize key processes and resource efficiency. 

iv
The Department of Energy Program recently conducted an energy bandwidth analysis that compared the 

practical minimum energy intensity of major steelmaking processes with energy intensity typical of today’s 

processes. The results of this analysis are helping DOE identify the best opportunities for future R&D thrusts. 

As a result, DOE is now targeting high-risk, potentially high-impact opportunities for reducing the energy 

intensity of steel industry processes. 

To facilitate this shift toward higher-impact projects, the Steel portfolio is organized into four categories: 

Next Generation Steelmaking, Cokeless Ironmaking, Advanced Process Development, and Power Delivery 

Modeling. The Cokeless Ironmaking and Next Generation Steelmaking categories include several 

revolutionary technologies selected by DOE for development under its recent Ironmaking and Steelmaking 

Challenge solicitations. Power Delivery Modeling represents an exciting new area of opportunity, one that 

has a potentially widespread impact across the industrial sector. 

FY 2003 Highlights 

•	 The pilot demonstration plant for the Mesabi Nugget Ironmaking project, part of an exciting, large-scale 

initiative to demonstrate the revolutionary ITmk3 ironmaking process, has completed its first 30 days of 

continuous operation. 

•	 A hot-strip mill model that simulates hot-strip mill operations and predicts the steel’s final mechanical 

properties has been released by the Integ Process Group, Inc. 

•	 A laser-based ultrasonic tube wall thickness gauge installed at the Timken Company’s #4 mill has checked the 

quality of nearly 400,000 tubes produced at the mill as of June 2003. The reduction in out-of-spec 

product has led to savings of more than 20 billion Btus, worth over half a million dollars. 

•	 Two projects exploring innovative new ways to produce steel continued in 2003. Novel direct steelmaking 

by combining microwave, electric arc, and exothermal heating technologies would eliminate the ironmaking 

step, while future steelmaking processes would develop a flexible fossil fuel-based process as an alternative to 

coke-based blast furnace ironmaking. 

•	 Major progress has been made in developing materials to increase the pot hardware life on steel 

galvanizing lines by a factor of ten. 

•	 Tamco Steel was the first site of an effort to improve the efficiency of electric arc furnaces. Using the 

Steelmaker Pilot, an intelligent process control system developed under a joint effort with the Steel 

Manufacturers Association, Tamco is now capable of producing a ton of molten steel using less than 400 

kWh. 

•	 The Timken Company is developing process models for controlled thermo-mechanical processing of tubes and 

pipes in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratory, and the 

Colorado School of Mines. Timken expects annual savings of 70 million cubic feet of natural gas in their 

furnaces from their recent implementation of modeling research results. 

•	 The University of Missouri-Rolla has been awarded a contract for a continuous process for melting, refining, 

and casting steel that will convert preheated steel scrap into high-quality steel. 

•	 Bethlehem Steel began successful operation of a set of 101 nickel aluminide transfer rolls in its slab plate 

mill in Burns Harbor, Indiana. The new rolls have reduced the number of shutdowns related to roll 

blistering and have improved product quality, leading to significant cost and energy savings. 

•	 A new molten metal flow control system has been tested that provides the precise control needed for efficient 

casting. Reduced metal oxidation and impurity entrapment will save 2 trillion Btus per year and 

improve product quality. 

•	 Two steel companies – Charter Steel of Wilton, Iowa and North Star Steel of Saukville, Wisconsin – 

completed cost-shared plant-wide assessments of their plant utility systems in FY 2003. One new steel 

company, Fawbrook Steel, was awarded an assessment this year. These assessments can help companies 

cut energy costs by up to $10 million per year. 

v
INDUSTRY OVERVIEW 

Steel is an integral part of the U.S. infrastructure, providing the foundation for construction (bridges, 

buildings), transportation systems (railroads, cars, trucks), and utility systems (municipal water systems, 

power systems). It is also the material of choice for such diverse applications as military equipment, food 

storage, appliances, and tools. Exhibit 1 shows some of steel’s largest markets. 

Exhibit 1


2001 Steel Shipments by Market Classification


Converting 10.4% 

Construction 21.8% 

Service Centers 27.4% 

Export 2.6% 

Oil & Gas Industry 3.0% 

Non-Classified 8.4% 

Machinery/Electric 

1.5% 

All Other 5.6% 

Containers 3.3% 

Appliances 1.8% 

Automotive 14.2% 

Energy Use in Steelmaking 

Steel is made by two different routes, both of which are energy-intensive. An integrated steel mill produces 

molten iron in blast furnaces using a form of coal known as coke, which is either produced on-site or 

purchased. This iron is used as a charge to produce steel in a basic oxygen furnace (BOF). An electric arc 

furnace steel producer, also known as a mini-mill, uses electric arc furnaces (EAFs) to produce steel from steel 

scrap and other iron-bearing materials. 

The steel industry consumed 2 quadrillion Btu in 1998, 0.3 quad of which was supplied from within the 

plant in the form of byproduct gases (DOE, 2000). As shown in Exhibit 2, nearly 40 percent of the industry’s 

energy consumption is supplied by coal and coke. The byproduct fuels – coke oven gas and blast furnace gas 

– recovered from cokemaking and ironmaking, respectively, represent another 15 percent of the industry’s 

total energy consumption. Blast furnace ironmaking and electric arc furnace steelmaking are among the 

most energy-intensive processes in the industry. 

In 2000, the industry spent nearly $4.5 billion on purchased fuels and electricity. On average, energy 

purchases represented about 15 percent of the cost of production in iron and steel manufacturing. 

Energy end-use patterns can be illustrated through the use of an energy footprint that identifies both energy 

use and losses due to equipment and system inefficiencies (Exhibit 3). Within the plant boundary, about a 

quarter of the energy delivered to the plant is lost prior to being used in specific processes. Process heating 

(including the blast furnace, steelmaking furnaces, reheat furnaces, other furnaces, and boilers) represents the 

largest use of fuels in the steel industry (60 percent). Technologies that improve the efficiency of furnaces 

and other process heating systems have significant potential to reduce overall steel industry energy use. 

1
Exhibit 2


Energy Use in the Steel Industry


Steel Industry 

• The steel industry provides about 5 percent of the 

total manufacturing GDP 

• In 2001, U.S. steel industry shipments totaled $31 billion • Carbon and alloy steels make up 98 percent of total 

domestic shipments, with specialty steels accounting for the rest 

• Energy consumption amounted to 2 quads in 2001 • The steel industry accounts for nearly 40 percent of 

total U.S. manufacturing sector coal consumption 

• The industry employs about 140,000 production workers 

339 trillion Btu 

Electricity Received at Plant 

Fuels 

BF Ironmaking 

50% 

Rolling and 

Finishing 25% 

EAF Steelmaking 20% 

BOF Steelmaking 5% 

Energy Use Among Steel Sectors 

Coal 39% 

Coke Oven Gas 8% 

Coke 11% 

Electricity 

502 trillion Btu 

163 trillion Btu 

Off-site Power Generation Losses 

1,703 trillion Btu 

1,540 trillion Btu 

Blast Furnace Gas 12% 

Oxygen 3% 

Natural Gas 26% 

Fuel Oil 1% 

2
Exhibit 3


Energy Footprint for the U.S. Steel Industry


Steel Industry Shipments 

In 2001, the U.S. steel industry shipped a total of 98.9 million tons of steel mill products valued at $31 

billion. This represents a 9 percent drop in shipments and a 16 percent drop in revenue over similar measures 

for 2000. Revenues were at their lowest point since 1993. As shown in Exhibit 4, the decline in shipments on 

a tonnage basis between 2000 and 2001 was most severe for hot- and cold-rolled sheet, which dropped nearly 

4 million tons. 

Exhibit 4


U.S. Net Shipments of Steel Mill Products


(Thousands of Net Tons)


Steel Products 2001 2000 % Change (00-01) 

Sheets 

Hot-rolled 

Cold-rolled 

18,287 

12,404 

19,770 

14,847 

(7.5) 

(16.5) 

Sheets and Strip 

Galvanized hot-dipped 

Galvanized electrolytic 

All other metallic-coated 

Electrical 

14,293 

3,012 

1,902 

481 

14,872 

3,496 

2,138 

529 

(3.8) 

(13.8) 

(11.0) 

(9.1) 

Total 98,940 109,050 (9.3) 

Strip 

Hot-rolled 

Cold-rolled 

690 

1,683 

869 

2,262 

(20.6) 

(25.6) 

3
World Steel Production Exhibit 5 

2001 World Production of Raw Steel 

Total world steel production in 2001 was 931.9 (Percent of Total World Production) 

million net tons. The U.S. accounted for 10.7 

percent of this production, down from 12 percent in 

2000. As shown in Exhibit 5, Asia is by far the 

largest steel-producing region, followed by Europe, 

North America, and the Commonwealth of 

Independent States (CIS). 

Other Western 

Hemisphere 4.3% 

Asia 38.3% 

Middle East 1.3% 

CIS & Baltic 

States 10.8% 

Africa 1.7% 

Europe 22.4% 

North America 13.0% Oceania 8.3%

4
THE CHALLENGE 

The steel industry is one of the most energy-intensive industries in the U.S. manufacturing sector. A stable 

and dependable domestic source of steel is vital to America’s economic and national security. However, the 

industry’s financial and market woes in recent years have severely limited investment in research activities, 

emphasizing the need for public-private R&D collaboration. 

Despite the domestic steel industry’s modernization efforts of the past two decades, the industry has been 

struggling to survive. During the past 3 years, high levels of imports have caused many U.S. steel companies 

to declare bankruptcy (more than 30 during 2001 and 2002 alone). Because of the low profit margins and 

high levels of foreign competition, the industry is unable to conduct the high-risk, long-term technology 

R&D needed to ensure its survival in the 21st century. 

The competitive and financial demands facing steel companies have made them more willing to collaborate 

in strategic, pre-competitive areas to improve energy efficiency in the iron and steel manufacturing processes. 

The industry has emphasized in the Steel Industry Technology Roadmap that collaborative partnerships 

involving government, industry, and academia will be critical to meeting the technology challenges of the 

future and accelerating the pace of technological innovation. 

An Energy-Intensive Industry 

The steel industry consumes approximately 2 quads (quadrillion, or 1015 Btu) of energy each year. The cost 

of purchasing this energy represents about 15 percent of the total manufacturing cost for steel, even higher 

for electric arc furnace steelmakers. The difference between the practical minimum energy requirement and 

actual requirements for the energy-intensive unit operations of ironmaking and steelmaking are in the range 

of 20 percent to 30 percent. In plain terms, the steel industry can save 20 to 30 percent of its energy costs by 

applying advanced technologies. The magnitude of the energy consumed by the industry makes it a prime 

target for energy-efficiency R&D, with potentially large energy-savings opportunities. 

The Steel portfolio sponsors research on incremental improvements for energy-intensive unit operations such 

as ironmaking, as well as revolutionary new processes that may eliminate certain operations. Steel industry 

R&D is a component of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and contributes to its 

goals of promoting energy efficiency and productivity, thereby strengthening the country’s energy security, 

environmental quality, and economic vitality. An analysis of current ITP steel projects estimates future 

savings of about 11 trillion Btu in 2010 and more than 130 trillion Btu in 2020. These estimates are in line 

with the recent shift to longer-term, higher-risk projects. 

The Steel portfolio pursues projects in three main categories: 

Knowledge Base 

• Broad-based advanced metallurgy 

• Enhancements to process knowledge database 

Evolutionary/Incremental Improvements 

• Near- to mid-term improvements to manufacturing processes 

• Efficient steel process furnaces and equipment 

• Process sensors and controls 

Revolutionary Technologies 

• Next-generation ironmaking and steelmaking technology 

5
Strategy for Improving Steel Industry Energy Efficiency 

The Industrial Technologies Program seeks to develop advanced technology for the domestic steel industry to 

help it survive in an environment of low profits and stiff foreign competition. A strong domestic steel 

industry with minimal reliance on imported raw materials and energy sources will help ensure national 

security. 

The Industrial Technologies Program supports a portfolio of cost-shared, pre-competitive research addressing 

technological needs that have broad application throughout the steel industry. All research projects are 

selected through a competitive review process. They must address priorities outlined in the Steel Industry 

Technology Roadmap and serve the EERE mission of increasing energy efficiency. 

The steel industry employs more than 150,000 people throughout the United States. The highest geographic 

concentration of steelmaking facilities (both integrated and scrap-based) is in the Great Lakes region, 

including Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New York. 

As a result of industry consolidation over the past several decades, the number of steelmaking facilities has 

decreased significantly. Large integrated mills have seen the largest decline, losing market share to imports 

and substitute materials, as well as facing high legacy costs. Many integrated mills have closed, and those 

that are still operating have reduced their workforces. The number of U.S. blast furnaces has declined from 

about 125 in the mid 1970s to about 40 operating furnaces today. Fewer than 20 integrated mills are 

currently in operation. 

The Department of Energy has devised a strategy to foster both revolutionary ironmaking and steelmaking 

projects and incremental improvements to existing processes, thereby addressing long-term goals while 

meeting short-term needs. The program also strives to expand the industry’s fundamental base of knowledge 

to optimize key processes and resource efficiency. Since 2001, the program has increased its emphasis on 

revolutionary steelmaking concepts in order to maximize energy savings. This shift in focus should produce 

dramatic drops in steelmaking energy intensity over the long-term. 

In FY 2003, the Steel portfolio was divided into four major focus areas, or pathways. These areas are: 

• Cokeless Ironmaking • Next Generation Steelmaking 

• Advanced Process Development • Power Delivery Modeling 

Exhibit 6 shows the targeted technologies to be supported in each of these areas. 

One of the strengths of the Steel IOF is the comprehensive participation of both industry and universities, 

providing both cost-sharing and in-kind support. The involvement of industry accelerates technology 

transfer and dissemination of research results. Industry partners represent the diversity of the steel industry 

and include integrated producers, mini-mill producers, suppliers, and end-users in several industries. 

Exhibit 6


Steel Portfolio Pathways


Impact Targets • Energy Savings – Reduce annual energy use by over 10 trillion Btu in 2010 and 130 trillion Btu in 2020 

• Environmental Benefits – Reduce CO2 emissions by nearly 0.5 MMTCe in 2010 and 3.4 MMTCe in 2020 

Cokeless Ironmaking 

Mesabi Nugget 

Ironmaking Pilot 

Demonstration 

Advanced Process Development 

Improved EAF Efficiency 

Feedstock Preparation 

Product Finishing 

Inclusion and Defect Reduction 

Next Generation Steelmaking 

Continuous and 

Combination Processes to 

Convert Ore and Scrap 

Metal into Steel 

Impact of Large, 

Highly Varying Loads 

Power Delivery Modeling 

6
FY 2003 HIGHLIGHTS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS 

In fiscal year 2003, the Steel portfolio included nearly 40 projects, about half of which were completed 

(Exhibit 7). Ongoing projects, organized by the major process steps of ironmaking, steelmaking, 

casting, forming and finishing, downstream processing, and utilities/combustion, are listed in Exhibit 

8. In addition, over 15 projects relevant to the steel industry funded by other EERE program activities 

are shown in Exhibit 9. 

Exhibit 7 Steel Research Projects Completed in FY 2003 

Advanced Process Development 

• In-Situ, Real-Time Measurement of Melt Constituents 

• Optical Sensor for Post-Combustion Control in EAF Steelmaking 

• Optimization of Post Combustion in Steelmaking 

• Evaluation of Sustainable Steelmaking Using Biomass and Waste Oxides 

• Improving the Efficiency of Electric Arc Furnaces in the U.S. 

• Enhanced Inclusion Removal from Steel in the Tundish 

• MAG-GATE System for Molten Metal Flow Control 

• Quantifying the Thermal Behavior of Slags 

• Real-Time Melt Temperature Measurement in a Vacuum Degasser Using Optical Pyrometry 

• Reducing the Variability of HSLA Steel Sheets 

• Standard Methodology for Measurement of Steel Phase Transformation Kinetics Using Dilatometrics 

• Validation of the Hot-Strip Mill Model 

• Intermetallics for the Steel Industry 

• Large-Scale Evaluation of Nickel Aluminide Rolls in a Heat-Treat Furnace at the Burns Harbor Plant 

• Formability Characterization of a New Generation of High-Strength Steels for Automotive Applications 

• Laser-Assisted Arc Welding 

• Characterization of Fatigue and Crash Performance of a New Generation of High-Strength Steels for Autos 

Exhibit 8 Active Steel Research Projects in FY 2003


Cokeless Ironmaking 

• Mesabi Nugget Research Project 

Next-Generation Steelmaking 

• Future Steelmaking Processes 

• Novel Direct Steelmaking by Combining Microwave, Electric Arc, and Exothermal Heating Technologies 

• Development of a Process to Continuously Melt, Refine, and Cast High Quality Steel 

Advanced Process Development 

• Automated Steel Cleanliness Analysis Tool 

• Pulverized Coal Injection (PCI) Combustion Behavior in the Blast Furnace During PCI at High Rates 

• Clean Steels – Advancing the State of the Art 

• Sustainable Steelmaking Using Biomass and Waste Oxides 

• Nitrogen Removal in EAF Steelmaking by Direct Reduced Iron Fines Injection 

• Recycling and Reuse of BOF/BOP Steelmaking Slags 

• Ladle Metallurgy and Casting 

• Hydrogen and Nitrogen Control in Ladle and Casting Operations 

• Inclusion Optimization for Next Generation Steel Products 

• Submerged Entry Nozzles that Resist Clogging (Plant Trials) 

• Controlled Thermal-Mechanical Processing of Tubes and Pipes 

• Low-NOx Heating Alternative for Round Shapes, Steel Substrate (Strip), and Coil Box Transfer Bars 

• Life Improvement of Pot Hardware in Continuous Hot Dipping Processes 

• Constitutive Behavior of High Strength Multiphase Sheet under High Strain Rate Deformation Conditions 

• Development and Application of Steel Foam Materials and Structures 

• Appropriate Resistance Spot Welding Practice for Advanced High Strength Steels 

• Ultra-Low Carbon High-Strength Steels for Enhanced Stretch Formability and Dent Resistance 

• Novel Low-NOx Burners for Boilers in the Steel Industry 

Power Delivery Modeling 

• Impact of Large, Highly Variable Loads 

7
Exhibit 9


Examples of Other EERE Projects Relevant to the Steel Industry


Combustion Projects 

• Forced Internal Recirculation (FIR) Burner 

Inventions and Innovations Projects 

• Clean Production of Coke from Waste Carbonaceous Fines 

• Continuous Casting/Inside Rolling of Hollow Rounds 

• Method of Making Steel Strapping and Strip 

NICE3

 Projects 

• An Automatic Inspection-Based Process Advising System for Steel Products at High Temperature 

• Lightweight Steel Containers 

• Vanadium Carbide Coating Process 

Sensors and Controls Projects 

• Development of a Versatile Laser Ultrasonic System and Application to On-Line Measurement for Process Control 

• Diagnostics and Control of Natural Gas-Fired Furnaces via Flame Image Analysis Using Machine Vision and Artificial Intelligence Techniques 

• In-Situ, Real-Time Measurement of Melt Constituents in the Aluminum, Glass, and Steel Industries 

• Thermal Imaging Control of Furnaces and Combustors (Steel & Glass) 

• Tunable Diode Laser Sensors for Monitoring and Control of Harsh Combustion Environments 

• Wireless Telemetry for Industrial Applications (All IOF Industries) 

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grant Projects 

• Fiber-Optic Sensor for Industrial Process Measurement and Control (Combustion) 

• Portable Parallel Beam X-Ray Diffraction System 

• Real-Time Gas Composition Analyzers for On-Line Process Control 

In addition to sponsoring R&D, the Steel portfolio achieved a number of noteworthy accomplishments in 

2003. These accomplishments are described below: 

R&D Highlights 

Mesabi Nugget Ironmaking – The Mesabi Nugget Project is a large-scale initiative to demonstrate the ITmk3 

Process developed by Kobe Steel, Ltd. The ITmk3 Process is a new ironmaking technology that uses a rotary 

hearth furnace to turn iron ore fines and pulverized coal into iron nuggets of similar quality as blast furnace 

pig iron. The direct use of coal to make iron is an alternative to the current prevailing ironmaking practice 

that uses coke made from coal. The high-quality, low-cost nuggets can be fed into either a basic oxygen 

furnace or an electric arc furnace. A pilot demonstration plant in Silver Bay, Minnesota has completed its 

first 30 days of continuous operations as of August 2003, producing 1,000 tons of iron from Minnesota ore. 

The purpose of the project is to assess process conditions for producing iron nuggets that can be fed into a 

commercial steelmaking furnace. Participants include Mesabi Nugget LLC, Kobe Steel USA, the State of 

Minnesota, Cleveland Cliffs, and Steel Dynamics. 

Novel Direct Steelmaking by Combining Microwave, Electric Arc, and Exothermal Heating Technologies 

– A novel direct steelmaking process combining multiple technologies has been evaluated by Michigan 

Technological University throughout 2003. Direct steelmaking eliminates the need for a separate ironmaking 

step, which could greatly reduce the energy intensity of the overall steelmaking process. The goal of the 

project is to develop a solid base of data on the process’ technical, market, and economic potential and to 

set targets for energy use, emissions, and costs. Combinations of raw materials are being tested with 

different heating methods to determine the effect on steel yield, carbon content, and exhaust gas emissions. 

Future Steelmaking Processes – Carnegie Mellon University and U.S. Steel are examining the feasibility of 

using a combination of proven technologies to produce iron more efficiently and with lower capital and 

operating costs. The goal is to develop a flexible fossil fuel-based process as an alternative to energy- and 

emissions-intensive coke-based blast furnace ironmaking. The project team is creating energy and materials 

balance models for a number of existing smelting technologies combined with rotary hearth furnace 

technology. The models will be used to perform process optimization and economic calculations. 

8
Enhancing the Operation of Highly Varying Industry Loads to Increase Electricity Reliability, Quality, 

and Economics – The random nature and size of the electric loads associated with the operation of electric 

arc furnaces, rolling mills, and large motors can cause large frequency deviations on the electricity grid. 

NiSource Energy Technologies and ITP are investigating a novel concept for handling highly varying loads 

while enhancing electric power reliability and quality. The concept comprises a number of load forecasting 

and coordination techniques that can be applied in a particular utility control area. In FY 2003, NiSource 

ran simulations and directly integrated some of the techniques with steel mill operators. The results of this 

project will have application well beyond the steel industry and should yield economic and operational 

benefits. 

Laser-Based Ultrasonic (LUT) Tube Wall Thickness Gauge – In March 2002, the first LUT tube wall thickness 

measurement system was installed at the Timken Company’s #4 mill and has been operating successfully ever 

since. This system displaces a slow, statistical-based methodology with an advanced real-time system that 

performs a quality characterization of every tube produced, not just a sampling. As of March 2003, the 

system had inspected 388,000 tubes, representing an instrument “up time” of 90 percent. Energy savings are 

estimated to be 23 billion Btus and cost savings were over half a million dollars, largely as a result of record 

low levels of scrap at the mill. The R&D project that resulted in this commercial success was sponsored by the 

ITP Sensors & Automation portfolio. 

Controlled Thermal-Mechanical Processing (CTMP) of Tubes and Pipes – This successful project has 

yielded a technology for generating targeted microstructures in the manufacture of tubes and pipes. The 

technology consists of an integrated control model that combines the results of metallurgical fundamental 

studies, models of the thermal and deformation processes, and product performance response relationships. 

One of the industrial research partners, The Timken Company, has installed the technology and expects 

annual savings of 70 million cubic feet of natural gas through reduced heat treating requirements. Timken is 

continuing to work collaboratively with Oak Ridge and Sandia National Laboratories and the Colorado 

School of Mines on additional models. 

Molten Metal Flow Control System – Precise control of the flow of molten steel at 3000 degrees Fahrenheit 

is very difficult, but is critical for quality control in casting. In February 2003, the Concept Engineering 

Group, Inc. conducted the first full-scale, hot metal test of an electromagnetic valve that it designed and 

built to control the flow of molten metal. This successful test of the system is a critical step in transferring 

the technology to the steel industry. The new technology yields precise control of molten steel in continuous 

casting, resulting in less turbulence, oxidation, and impurity entrapment. Energy savings of 2 trillion Btus 

per year industry-wide, as well as quality and productivity benefits, are anticipated. 

Nickel Aluminide Transfer Rolls – Bethlehem Steel has installed a set of 101 transfer rolls in its slab plate 

mill in Burns Harbor, Indiana. Bethlehem worked with Oak Ridge National Laboratory on the development 

of these rolls, which are made of an advanced intermetallic alloy with superior performance in hightemperature applications such as steel reheating and heat treating furnaces. The rolls at the Burns Harbor 

mill replace conventional steel rolls that bulged and blistered, necessitating frequent unscheduled 

maintenance shutdowns. The blisters also caused surface defects on the steel being processed, increasing the 

amount of steel that had to be reworked. The new rolls have reduced the number of shutdowns and 

improved product quality, leading to significant cost and energy savings. 

Improving the Efficiency of Electric Arc Furnaces – Faced with high electricity rates in the California 

market, Tamco Steel was the first site of an effort to reduce electric energy use in domestic electric arc furnaces 

steelmaking. In an effort jointly supported with Steel Manufacturers Association members, DOE sponsored 

development of a Steelmaker Pilot, an intelligent process control system that integrates advanced, knowledgebased computing with the more traditional algebraic approaches used in steelmaking. Based on data collected 

and new practices, it is now possible for Tamco to produce a ton of molten steel with less than 400 KWH. 

Improving Refractory Service Life and Recycling Materials in EAF Steel Production – Oregon Steel has 

used a new slag foam chemistry model to increase the service life of its electric arc furnace sidewalls to 1200 

heats, a 20 percent improvement. The model was developed by the Albany Research Center and supported by 

the Industrial Technologies Program as part of a project to improve refractory service life by maintaining 

better control of slag chemistry and the slag foaming process. Oregon Steel is also evaluating an automated 

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slag foam control model. Improved control of the slag foaming process has the added benefit of increasing 

the energy efficiency of the furnace and reducing its pollutant emissions. 

Optimization of Post Combustion in Steelmaking – With ITP support, Carnegie Mellon University has 

developed a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic model to optimize post-combustion control in 

steelmaking. During both BOF and EAF steelmaking, a significant amount of carbon monoxide is generated; 

post combustion of this carbon monoxide releases heat energy above the molten steel bath. Efficient control 

and transfer of this heat energy can reduce energy costs and increase productivity by decreasing furnace melt 

times. The potential annual savings in both BOF and EAF steelmaking are estimated to be $50-$100 million 

dollars. 

Hot-Strip Mill Model – The Integ Process Group, Inc. has released its hot-strip mill model, a software model 

that simulates steel being processed in a hot-strip mill and predicts its final mechanical properties. Several 

steel companies, including U.S. Steel, have used the model to study their hot-strip processes, in which 10-inch 

thick steel slabs are reduced to a quarter-inch or less. DOE and the American Iron and Steel Institute jointly 

sponsored the development of this software model. 

Pot Hardware Life for Galvanizing Lines – Major progress has been made in developing materials to 

increase the life of molten zinc pot hardware on steel galvanizing lines by a factor of ten. Interest in this 

project is high because these high-speed hot-dip lines often experience catastrophic component failures 

requiring shutdown of the line. Steel industry hot-dip operators are collaborating with researchers from West 

Virginia University, the Lead Zinc Research Organization Inc., and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. 

Continuous Process for Melting, Refining, and Casting Steel – The University of Missouri-Rolla has been 

awarded a contract for converting preheated steel scrap into high-quality steel under the Steel Industry 

Research Challenge solicitation. Rolla, in collaboration with Techint Technologies and several steelmakers, 

will develop a continuous process to melt, refine, and cast steel. 

Partnership Highlights 

Student Fellowship Program – The Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA), in concert with steel companies 

and the DOE/EERE, has established a cooperative education program for selected college students. Students 

are selected on the basis of knowledge, experience, desire, and initiative. The sponsoring company submits 

details for a potential student project. At the conclusion of the work effort, SMA-DOE Fellows and industry 

mentors provide a joint critique for the purpose of determining the success of the study program and the 

students’ interest in the steel industry. Fourteen students participated in this program in FY 2003. 

Improving Energy Efficiency Today 

Technology Delivery – EERE/ITP’s Technology Delivery activities offer products and services to assist industry 

in saving energy in the near-term. These products and services include software tools and associated training 

to improve the efficiency of plant utility systems, cost-shared plant assessments, no-cost plant audits for 

small- and mid-size companies, and numerous helpful publications describing applications of good plant 

operating practices. Activities such as these have the potential to save the steel industry millions of dollars 

annually. To learn more, please visit http://www.oit.doe.gov/bestpractices/; for more information on the nocost audits, visit http://www.oit.doe.gov/iac. 

Plant-wide Assessments (PWAs) – PWAs are cost-shared assessments of plant utility and process-related 

energy efficiency opportunities across a plant. Plants are selected through a competitive solicitation. In FY 

2003, assessments took place at two Round IV PWA winners – Charter Steel of Wilton, Iowa and North Star 

Steel of Saukville, Wisconsin. In addition, Fawbrook Steel was selected in the Round V solicitation in early 

FY 2003. 

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The final PWA report from North Star Steel was received in the spring of 2003. In order to replicate the 

benefits at similar plants, the report will be sent to the general managers and environmental managers at 

North Star’s six other plants. A summary report will also be made available through the Steel Manufacturer’s 

Association (SMA) for member use. In June, the North Star plant manager discussed the DOE assessment 

and results as the lead speaker at the Cargill (parent company of North Star Steel) quarterly meeting. Based 

on the experience of other manufacturers, each steel mill performing a PWA can expect to cut energy costs by 

anywhere from $1 million to $10 million per year. 

Disseminating Research Results to Industry 

Technical Papers and Articles – The Industrial Technologies Program presented a paper at two key steel 

industry conferences in early FY 2003: 

•	 Department of Energy, Office of Industrial Technologies R&D presented at the AISE 2002 Annual 

Convention and Steel Expo in October 2002 

•	 Industry Government on Research to Improve the Energy Efficiency and Productivity of EAF Steelmaking 

presented at the 60th Electric Furnace Conference in November 2002 

ITP Web Site – The ITP Web site is a valuable tool for disseminating information on the program’s activities. 

The Web site highlights steel industry R&D projects, provides access to EERE publications, and notes 

upcoming solicitations. The Web site also contains a “News” section that provides articles on recent events, 

updates on research successes, and notification about new software tools and other services of potential 

interest to the steel industry. 

Steel Newsletter – Throughout FY 2003, ITP distributed a monthly electronic newsletter to more than 700 

steel industry personnel and other stakeholders in DOE research aimed at the steel industry. Entitled Steel 

Industry News from the Industrial Technologies Program at DOE, the newsletter highlights recent accomplishments 

and milestones of Steel R&D projects. 

Steel Industry of the Future CD-ROM – In March 2003, EERE/ITP released a CD-ROM subtitled “Resources 

and Tools for Energy Efficiency and Cost Reduction Now.” The CD is designed to assist steel industry plant 

managers and engineers in quickly finding information on technical R&D results, technical assistance, 

training, and other products and services that ITP can provide to the steel industry. 

Energy Analysis – Targeting Energy Efficiency 

Energy Bandwidth Study – An energy “bandwidth” showing the magnitude of energy savings possible for 

each major steelmaking process was created using data from the Fruehan and Stubbles studies completed in 

earlier years. The results indicated that advanced steelmaking processes that eliminate coke and use less raw 

materials, electricity, and other fuels can yield energy savings of 18 percent, about 3 million Btu/ton of steel. 

The bandwidth is being used to provide a rationale for supporting R&D on revolutionary new technologies 

with the highest potential impact on industry energy consumption. 

Energy Footprint Study – In FY 2003, ITP developed an energy footprint study of the U.S. steel industry. 

The footprints – one for the integrated steelmaking sector and one for the electric arc furnace-based sector – 

show the total flow of energy throughout the industry. The energy flow and losses are shown for energy 

supply, central energy generation/utilities, energy distribution, energy conversion, and process energy use. 

Under the energy conversion and process energy use categories, the footprint breaks down the energy use for 

each process step. Use and losses are shown for each process heating operation and for the various motordriven systems. The goal of this study is to provide a baseline of energy consumption and loss data for each 

major operation in the steel industry. The magnitude of the energy losses can provide guidance to the 

program on areas of R&D opportunity. 

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Climate VISION 

On February 14, 2002, President Bush announced a new strategy to address the long-term challenge of global 

climate change. The President committed to reducing America’s greenhouse gas intensity – the ratio of 

emissions to economic output – by 18 percent in the next decade, and challenged American businesses and 

industries to undertake broader efforts to help meet the goal. The President’s strategy, known as Climate 

VISION (Voluntary Innovative Sector Initiative: Opportunities Now), is focused on voluntary partnerships 

between the government and entire industry sectors. These partnerships aim to reduce the projected growth 

in America’s greenhouse gas emissions through research, development, and deployment of energy-saving 

technologies and process. 

The U.S. Department of Energy, along with other key federal agencies, recognizes that major, energy-intensive 

sectors of the American economy are undertaking significant initiatives to meet the President’s challenge. 

These initiatives build upon the progress made by the industrial sector in the past decade: from 1990-2001. 

During this time, the economy grew by almost 40 percent, while greenhouse gas emissions in the industrial 

sector remained constant. The Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) is working in partnership with the 

U.S. steel industry through the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) to implement activities in support of 

AISI achieving its Climate VISION commitment. A Climate VISION workplan is being developed where AISI 

will be collaborating with the federal government on near-term energy efficiency activities, cross-sector 

projects, and R&D to develop and commercialize advanced technology (see Climate VISION Web site 

www.climatevision.gov/ ). 

12
TOOLS, PUBLICATIONS, AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE 

EERE offers valuable tools and publications to help steel companies improve productivity and energy 

efficiency. Some of these resources are described below. See the Web site at http://www.oit.doe.gov/steel for a 

complete listing. 

Steel IndustryTechnology Roadmap – The Steel Industry Technology Roadmap represents an industry-defined, 

long-term agenda of research and development. As a public document, the roadmap provides a clear 

indication to both government and the private sector of the desired directions to be followed in future steelrelated research. The roadmap was updated in FY 2002 in response to technological advances, changes in the 

global market, and new technical insights. To learn more, please visit http://www.oit.doe.gov/steel/ 

visions.shtml. 

Fact Sheets and Success Stories – Publications describing ongoing R&D projects, emerging technologies, 

and commercial successes are available on the Web site at http://www.oit.doe.gov/factsheets/fact_st.shtmlsteel. 

Resources and Tools for Energy Efficiency and Cost Reduction Now CD – This CD provides tips and tools 

for spotting the biggest energy-saving opportunities in steel mills today as well as details on energy-efficiency 

technologies. For a copy of this CD, please send an email to clearinghouse@ee.doe.gov. 

Cost Reduction Now Brochures – A series of brochures on motors, steam systems, compressed air systems, 

pump systems, process heating, and other topics can help companies recognize low-cost and quick-payback 

energy-saving opportunities. To learn more, please visit http://www.oit.doe.gov/steel/tools.shtml. 

Energy and Environmental Profile of the U.S. Iron and Steel Industry – The profile, part of an industry 

series, benchmarks the energy and environmental characteristics of major unit operations in the steel 

industry. To learn more, please visit http://www.oit.doe.gov/steel/profile.shtml. 

Theoretical Minimum Energies to Produce Steel for Selected Conditions – A DOE-sponsored study has 

determined the theoretical minimum energy requirements for producing steel from ore, scrap, and direct 

reduced iron. Dr. Richard Fruehan’s report, Theoretical Minimum Energies to Produce Steel for Selected Conditions, 

provides insight into the potential energy savings (and associated reductions in carbon dioxide emissions) 

for ironmaking, steelmaking, and rolling processes. To view the report, please visit http://www.oit.doe.gov/ 

steel/pdfs/theoretical_minimum_energies.pdf. 

Energy Use in the U.S. Steel Industry: A Historical Perspective and Future Opportunities – Renowned 

industry expert Dr. John Stubbles has projected the energy savings that the U.S. steel industry could 

reasonably expect to achieve over the next 10 years. The report examines the potential impacts of state-ofthe-art technologies and operating practices, as well as structural changes in the industry itself. To view the 

report, please visit http://www.oit.doe.gov/steel/pdfs/theoretical_minimum_energies.pdf. 

Ironmaking Process Alternatives Screening Study – This study evaluates and compares a number of 

alternative ironmaking processes, some already proven and some under development, that will feed iron 

units to current and future steelmaking processes. To view the report, please visit http://www.oit.doe.gov/ 

steel/pdfs/ironmaking_process.pdf. 

13
HOW TO GET INVOLVED AND CONTACT INFORMATION 

Partnership Information 

Public-private partnerships are the foundation of ITP’s technology delivery strategy. ITP includes its partners 

in every phase of the technology development process to focus scarce resources where they can have the 

greatest impact on industrial energy efficiency. To learn more, please visit our Web site at 

www.eere.energy.gov/industry. 

•	 Collaborative, cost-shared research and development projects are a central part of ITP’s strategy. 

Annual solicitations provide technology development opportunities in a variety of energy-intensive 

industries. 

•	 Industries of the Future Partnerships increase energy efficiency in the most energy-intensive 

industries. In addition to cost-shared research and development projects, industry partners participate in 

the development of vision and roadmap documents that define long-term goals, technology challenges, 

and research priorities. 

•	 Allied Partnerships provide an opportunity for ITP to reach a broad audience of potential customers by 

allying with corporations, trade associations, equipment manufacturers, utilities, and other stakeholders 

to distribute industrial energy efficiency products and services. By becoming an Allied Partner, an 

organization can increase its value to clients by helping them achieve plant efficiencies. 

•	 State energy organizations work with ITP in applying technology to assist their local industries. ITP 

assists states in developing IOF partnerships to mobilize local industries and other stakeholders to 

improve energy efficiency through best practices, energy assessments, and collaborative research and 

development. 

•	 EERE’s technical programs (of which ITP is one of eleven) give manufacturers access to a diverse 

portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and bring advanced manufacturing 

technology to the renewable energy community. For more information, access the EERE home page at 

www.eere.energy.gov. 

•	 The President’s Climate VISION (Voluntary Innovative Sector Initiatives: Opportunities Now) effort also 

offers opportunities for manufacturers to pursue cost-effective actions that will reduce greenhouse gas 

emissions. See www.climatevision.gov for details. 

Access to Resources and Expertise 

The Industrial Technologies Program provides manufacturers with a wide variety of industrial energy 

efficiency resources to help your company cut energy use right away. Visit our site at www.eere.energy.gov/ 

industry or call the EERE Information Center at 877-337-3463 to access these resources and for more 

information. 

•	 ITP offers energy management best practices to improve energy efficiency throughout plant 

operations. Improvements to industrial systems such as compressed air, motors, process heat, and steam 

can yield enormous savings with little or no capital investment. 

•	 Our suite of powerful system optimization software tools can help plants identify and analyze energysaving opportunities in a variety of systems. 

•	 Training sessions are held several times per year at sites across the country for companies interested in 

implementing energy-saving projects in their facilities. DOE software tools are used as part of the 

training sessions. 

14
•	 ITP’s qualified industrial energy specialists will work with your plant personnel to identify savings 

opportunities and train staff in the use of ITP software tools. 

•	 Our extensive library of publications gives companies the resources they need to achieve immediate 

energy savings. 

•	 Plant-wide energy assessments are available to manufacturers of all sizes interested in cutting their 

energy use. Cost-shared solicitations are available each year for plant-wide energy assessments. In 

addition, no-cost, targeted assessments are provided to eligible facilities by teams of engineering faculty 

and students from 26 university-based Industrial Assessment Centers around the country. 

•	 The DOE Regional Offices provide a nation-wide network of capabilities for implementing ITP’s 

technology delivery strategy. Regional Offices are located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, 

Philadelphia, and Seattle. Visit www.eere.energy.gov/rso.html for more information. 

Where to Go to Get More Information 

Visit our Web site - http://www.oit.doe.gov/steel 

Learn about all EERE Programs - http://www.eren.doe.gov 

Ask an Expert - The Industrial Technologies Clearinghouse is a great way to access ITP’s resources. Times 

available are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST (6a.m. to 5 p.m. PST).


Phone: 1-800-862-2086 Fax: 360-956-2214


For print copies of DOE, EERE, and ITP Publications, contact -


Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse (EREC)


P.O. Box 3048


Merrifield, VA 22116


Phone: 800-363-3732 Fax: 703-893-0400


For questions regarding Steel IOF activities, please contact -


Simon Friedrich


Industrial Technologies Program


Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy


EE-2F


U.S. Department of Energy


1000 Independence Avenue SW


Washington, DC 20585-0121


Phone: 202-586-6759 Fax: 202-586-9234


Email: clearinghouse@ee.doe.gov 

Email: doe.erec@nciinc.com 

Email: simon.friedrich@ee.doe.gov 

15
A Strong Energy Portfolio for a Strong America 

Energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy will mean a stronger economy, a cleaner environment, and great energy 

independence for America. By investing in technology breakthroughs today, our nation can look forward to a more 

resilient economy and secure future. 

Far-reaching technology changes will be essential to America’s energy future. Working with a wide array of state, 

community, industry, and university partners, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy invests in a portfolio of energy technologies that will: 

• Conserve energy in the residential, commercial, industrial, government, and transportation sectors 

• Increase and diversify energy supply, with a focus on renewable domestic sources 

• Upgrade our national energy infrastructure 

• Facilitate the emergence of hydrogen technologies as a vital new “energy carrier” 

The Opportunities 

Biomass Program 

Using domestic, plant-derived resources to meet our fuel, power, and chemical needs 

Building Technologies Program 

Homes, schools, and businesses that use less energy, cost less to operate, and ultimately, generate as much power as 

they use 

Distributed Energy & Electric Reliability Program 

A more reliable energy infrastructure and reduced need for new power plants 

Federal Energy Management Program 

Leading by example, saving energy and taxpayer dollars in federal facilities 

FreedomCAR & Vehicle Technologies Program 

Less dependence on foreign oil, and eventual transition to an emissions-free, petroleum-free vehicle 

Geothermal Technologies Program 

Tapping the Earth’s energy to meet our heat and power needs 

Hydrogen, Fuel Cells & Infrastructure Technologies Program 

Paving the way toward a hydrogen economy and net-zero carbon energy future 

Industrial Technologies Program 

Boosting the productivity and competitiveness of U.S. industry through improvements in energy and environmental 

performance 

Solar Energy Technology Program 

Utilizing the sun’s natural energy to generate electricity and provide water and space heating 

Weatherization & Intergovernmental Program 

Accelerating the use of today’s best energy-efficient and renewable technologies in homes, communities, and 

business 

Wind & Hydropower Technologies Program 

Harnessing America’s abundant natural resources for clean power generation 

To learn more, visit www.eere.energy.gov 

Steel Industry of the Future 

Industrial Technologies Program 

Boosting the productivity and competitiveness of U.S. industry 

published January 2004