Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

If coke became particularly more expensive (unlikely despite falling demand for electricity) then US steel (such as it is) would move to direct-reduced iron[1] using natural gas. Almost all steel in India is made this way.

It's also worth mentioning that steel can theoretically be produced electrolytically[2] (like aluminum). It's... essentially vaporware, but who knows. It's one of the Big Dreams: more energy efficient and pure oxygen as a byproduct.

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_reduced_iron

[2]: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cleaner-cheaper-w...



Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: