Nowadays the overall energy demand in downstream steel production is mainly based on fossil fuel, so it is fundamental to find and set new ways to overcome the environmental impact of steel production Currently, the state-of-art of reheating furnaces is based on CH4 burners, with an evident environmental impact on CO2 emissions The main objective is to decarbonize this process, based on the introduction of hybrid heating technology, based on electrification and gas-burning properly combined. This solution provides an opportunity to explore the synergic effect of different technologies, by “hybrid heating”. Moreover, the whole efficiency of the heating process can be furtherly improved by the recovery of enthalpy content of off-gases from the furnace. The furnace partial electrification will be realized by the installation of an induction system. The electricity to feed the inductor will be provided by a renewable source (RES) and by the heat recovery system.

The aim of E-ECO Downstream is to enable a clean steel production by developing advanced and breakthrough technologies for the steel making downstream processes. This will decisively support the EU in achieving its goal towards climate neutrality by 2050. E-ECO Downstream focuses on the efficient utilization of hydrogen, biogas, and electricity to substitute carbon-based fuels and drastically lower the carbon footprint of the steel production. Energy efficiency is pursued to enable sustainable utilization of volatile green energy. Currently installed burners of reheating furnaces will be enabled to utilize green H2 by integration of newly designed and 3D-printed burner components instead of replacing entire burner systems. To increase fuel flexibility hybrid heating concepts (H2 and electricity) will be investigated in a pilot walking beam furnace. Since the mentioned solutions will change the waste heat streams and their heat recovery in future downstream processes must be reevaluated. This will be done by analysing the partners processes and plants, development and testing of waste heat recovery concepts and recuperators regarding their suitability to new fuels and their off gases, while considering their impact on materials/product. Energy efficiency potentials of downstream processes will be evaluated by case studies for the application of hot charge from casting to hot rolling by covering of the slabs with passive and active panels. The elaborated solutions will be assessed by techno-eco-environmental analysis to evaluate their applicability and to increase their acceptance in the steel community. The E-ECO Downstream consortium has a deep and shared knowledge of iron and steel making, downstream processes and heating technology, materials engineering, numerical simulation, experimental investigations, economy, and life cycle analysis.

The overall objective of FISSAC project is to develop and demonstrate a new paradigm built on an innovative industrial symbiosis model towards a zero waste approach in the resource intensive industries of the construction value chain, tackling harmonized technological and non technological requirements, leading to material closed-loop processes and moving to a circular economy. A methodology and a software platform will be developed in order to implement the innovative industrial symbiosis model in a feasible scenario of industrial symbiosis synergies between industries (steel, aluminium, natural stone, chemical and demolition and construction sectors) and stakeholders in the extended construction value chain. It will guide how to overcome technical barriers and non technical barriers, as well as standardisation concerns to implement and replicate industrial symbiosis in a local/regional dimension. The ambition of the model will be to be replicated in other regions and other value chains symbiosis scenarios. The model will be applied based on the three sustainability pillars. FISSAC will demonstrate the applicability of the model as well as the effectiveness of the innovative processes, services and products at different levels: - Manufacturing processes: with demonstration of closed loop recycling processes to transform waste into valuable secondary raw materials, and manufacturing processes of the novel products at industrial scale - Product validation: with demonstration of the eco-design of eco-innovative construction products (new Eco-Cement and Green Concrete, innovative ceramic tiles and Rubber Wood Plastic Composites) in pre-industrial processes under a life cycle approach, and demonstration at real scale in different case studies of the application and the technical performance of the products - FISSAC model, with the demonstration of the software platform and replicability assessment of the model through living lab concept

Industrial symbiosis (IS) has gain great attention in the last years due to its high potential for energy and resources savings. However, there is still a need for enhancing the knowledge base for IS in Europe, especially in what regards to the implementation and operation phases, which must be supported by harmonised frameworks and data reporting structures that ensure data accuracy and comparability in existing and new IS initiatives. Under this framework, CORALIS has been designed as a demonstration project for the generation of real experiences on the deployment of IS solutions and the overcoming of the barriers faced by these initiatives. In order to properly address this complex issue, CORALIS will address three factors (technical, managerial and economical) that will set the basis for the definition of the IS readiness level, a useful indicator establishing the feasibility of the overall IS initiative. In addition to specific developments on each of these factors, CORALIS will provide a harmonised framework for the monitoring of results and evaluation of their impact from a life cycle perspective. This impact assessment methodology will be implemented into a virtual assessment platform that will support the operation of the involved industrial parks. The overall approach of CORALIS will be demonstrated in a total of 3 industrial parks, each of them supported by an IS facilitator, a neutral actor in charge of guiding the IS initiative and exploiting its full potential. Moreover, 3 additional industrial parks will follow the project results in order to replicate them by implementing additional IS initiatives after the project’s end. Further replication is expected by gathering the project results in CORALIS Handbook for supporting the implementation of IS, by providing recommendations on regulation and standardization and by establishing a continuous dialogue with main European stakeholders following an ambitious dissemination and exploitation strategy.