Steel - Revision history

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	[[Category:Done ~~2016~~-04-30]]		[[Category:Done 2026-08-01]]
	[[File:The_Bow,_Calgary,_June_2013.jpg\|200px\|thumb\|Figure 1. Millions of tonnes of steel are used to build skyscrapers.<ref>Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/The_Bow%2C_Calgary%2C_June_2013.jpg</ref>]]		[[File:The_Bow,_Calgary,_June_2013.jpg\|200px\|thumb\|Figure 1. Millions of tonnes of steel are used to build skyscrapers.<ref>Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/The_Bow%2C_Calgary%2C_June_2013.jpg</ref>]]
	<onlyinclude>'''Steel''' is an alloy of [[iron]] with a varying [[carbon]] content (typically around 0.5-1.5%), and can also contain different [[element]]s depending on the type of steel desired. Whereas iron on its own is relatively soft and [[oxidize\|rusts]] easily, steel is hard, tough, and corrosion resistant.<ref name=enc>Kolb, Doris K.. "Steel." Chemistry: Foundations and Applications. 2004. ''Encyclopedia.com''. (Accessed 14 May 2016). Available: http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/steel.aspx</ref> This makes steel an extremely useful material that is used almost everywhere in society, from building skyscrapers and bridges to paperclips and thumbtacks.</onlyinclude>		<onlyinclude>'''Steel''' is an alloy of [[iron]] with a varying [[carbon]] content (typically around 0.5-1.5%), and can also contain different [[element]]s depending on the type of steel desired. Whereas iron on its own is relatively soft and [[oxidize\|rusts]] easily, steel is hard, tough, and corrosion resistant.<ref name=enc>Kolb, Doris K.. "Steel." Chemistry: Foundations and Applications. 2004. ''Encyclopedia.com''. (Accessed 14 May 2016). Available: http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/steel.aspx</ref> This makes steel an extremely useful material that is used almost everywhere in society, from building skyscrapers and bridges to paperclips and thumbtacks.</onlyinclude>
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	==Global steel production and consumption==		==Global steel production and consumption==

	China is the world's largest producer of steel, producing ~~822 million~~ [[~~tonne~~]]s ~~in 2014~~. That's ~~over~~ ''7 times'' the amount that the 2nd largest producer, ~~Japan~~, put out at ~~110 million tonnes. Just beneath Japan in production was the USA, outputting 88.2~~ million tonnes.<ref name=world>World Steel Association. (Accessed ~~May 27~~, ~~2016~~). ''~~Top 20~~ Steel~~-Producing Countries 2014~~'' [Online], Available: ~~http~~://~~www.~~worldsteel.org/~~media-centre~~/~~press-releases/2015/World~~-~~Steel~~-in-~~Figures~~-~~2015~~-is-~~available~~-~~online.html~~</ref>		China is the world's largest producer of steel, producing roughly one [[gigatonne]] in 2026, roughly half of the world's steel production. That's more than ''6 times'' the amount that the 2nd largest producer, India, put out at 150 million tonnes. <ref name=world>World Steel Association. (Accessed July 14th, 2026). ''World Steel figures, 2025'' [Online], Available: https://worldsteel.org/data/world-steel-in-figures/world-steel-in-figures-2025/</ref>

	Countries that are building a lot of infrastructure use more steel per person. This steel use is called the apparent consumption of steel which varies from country to country. ~~This is given in units~~ of ~~[[kilogram]]s~~ [[per capita]], meaning kilograms of steel used per person in the year 2014. South Korea had the largest steel consumption per capita, at ~~1118.8~~ kg, ~~while Taiwan and China had 837.1~~ kg. Canada ~~ranked as~~ the ~~8th highest, with 428.5~~ kg/person ~~consumed~~.<Ref name=world/>		Countries that are building a lot of infrastructure use more steel per person. This steel use is called the apparent consumption of steel which varies from country to country. We can also look at the apparent consumption of steel [[per capita]], meaning kilograms of steel used per person in the year 2014. South Korea had the largest steel consumption per capita, at ~900 kg/person yearly in 2025, more than 4x the global average 215 kg/person. Canada uses more than the average at 330 kg/person yearly.<Ref name=world/>

	===Energy use for steel===		===Energy use for steel===

	The steel industry is extremely important, driving many economies and providing material for infrastructure all around the world. In ~~2013~~, ~~1.6~~ billion [[tonne]]s of steel were produced worldwide, which is expected to ~~increase~~ to ~~2.5 billion tonnes per year by 2050~~.<ref name=ws>World Steel Association. (Accessed May 14, 2016). ''Energy use in the steel industry'' [Online], Available: https://www.worldsteel.org/publications/fact-sheets/content/02/text_files/file0/document/fact_energy_2014.pdf</ref>		The steel industry is extremely important, driving many economies and providing material for infrastructure all around the world. In 2026, approximately 2 billion [[tonne]]s of steel were produced worldwide, which is expected to continue to grow.<ref name=ws>World Steel Association. (Accessed May 14, 2016). ''Energy use in the steel industry'' [Online], Available: https://www.worldsteel.org/publications/fact-sheets/content/02/text_files/file0/document/fact_energy_2014.pdf</ref>

	Steel helps extract [[primary energy]] from the environment and uses a fair amount of energy. Around 18% of the world's [[industrial energy use]] goes into the mining, processing and manufacturing of iron and steel products.<ref>IEA (2014), "''World energy balances''", IEA World Energy Statistics and Balances (database). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/data-00512-en		Steel helps extract [[primary energy]] from the environment and uses a fair amount of energy. Around 18% of the world's [[industrial energy use]] goes into the mining, processing and manufacturing of iron and steel products.<ref>IEA (2014), "''World energy balances''", IEA World Energy Statistics and Balances (database). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/data-00512-en
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	==References==		==References==
	{{reflist}}		{{reflist}}
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Jmdonev at 21:40, 3 August 2016

2016-08-03T21:40:55Z

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[[Category:Done 2016-04-30]]
[[File:The_Bow,_Calgary,_June_2013.jpg|200px|thumb|Figure 1. Millions of tonnes of steel are used to build skyscrapers.<ref>Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/The_Bow%2C_Calgary%2C_June_2013.jpg</ref>]]
<onlyinclude>'''Steel''' is an alloy of [[iron]] with a varying [[carbon]] content (typically around 0.5-1.5%), and can also contain different [[element]]s depending on the type of steel desired. Whereas iron on its own is relatively soft and [[oxidize|rusts]] easily, steel is hard, tough, and corrosion resistant.<ref name=enc>Kolb, Doris K.. "Steel." Chemistry: Foundations and Applications. 2004. ''Encyclopedia.com''. (Accessed 14 May 2016). Available: http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/steel.aspx</ref> This makes steel an extremely useful material that is used almost everywhere in society, from building skyscrapers and bridges to paperclips and thumbtacks.</onlyinclude>

There are thousands of types of steel, developed to handle different engineering needs. The most common type one might see in a typical day would be stainless steel, which contains relatively high amounts of [[chromium]] and [[nickel]] used to achieve a high corrosion resistance while also being easy to polish and sterilize.<ref>Explain that stuff!. (Accessed May 14, 2016). ''Iron and steel'' [Online], Available: http://www.explainthatstuff.com/ironsteel.html</ref>

==Global steel production and consumption==

China is the world's largest producer of steel, producing 822 million [[tonne]]s in 2014. That's over ''7 times'' the amount that the 2nd largest producer, Japan, put out at 110 million tonnes. Just beneath Japan in production was the USA, outputting 88.2 million tonnes.<ref name=world>World Steel Association. (Accessed May 27, 2016). ''Top 20 Steel-Producing Countries 2014'' [Online], Available: http://www.worldsteel.org/media-centre/press-releases/2015/World-Steel-in-Figures-2015-is-available-online.html</ref>

Countries that are building a lot of infrastructure use more steel per person. This steel use is called the apparent consumption of steel which varies from country to country. This is given in units of [[kilogram]]s [[per capita]], meaning kilograms of steel used per person in the year 2014. South Korea had the largest steel consumption per capita, at 1118.8 kg, while Taiwan and China had 837.1 kg. Canada ranked as the 8th highest, with 428.5 kg/person consumed.<Ref name=world/>

===Energy use for steel===

The steel industry is extremely important, driving many economies and providing material for infrastructure all around the world. In 2013, 1.6 billion [[tonne]]s of steel were produced worldwide, which is expected to increase to 2.5 billion tonnes per year by 2050.<ref name=ws>World Steel Association. (Accessed May 14, 2016). ''Energy use in the steel industry'' [Online], Available: https://www.worldsteel.org/publications/fact-sheets/content/02/text_files/file0/document/fact_energy_2014.pdf</ref>

Steel helps extract [[primary energy]] from the environment and uses a fair amount of energy. Around 18% of the world's [[industrial energy use]] goes into the mining, processing and manufacturing of iron and steel products.<ref>IEA (2014), "''World energy balances''", IEA World Energy Statistics and Balances (database). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/data-00512-en
(Accessed February 2015)</ref> In terms of the actual [[energy]], it uses about 19 of the 106 [[joule|exajoules]] (1 exajoule = 10<sup>18</sup> [[joule]]s) input into the industrial sector each year.

==Uses of steel in energy production==
[[File:power line.jpg|200px|thumb|Figure 2. High voltage power lines require large steel towers known as pylons.<ref>Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ligne_haute-tension.jpg</ref>]]
Steel is a crucial material in building a reliable energy network. It is used to manufacture:<ref name=ws/>

*Mining equipment
*Equipment for [[oil]] and [[natural gas|gas]] extraction
*[[Transportation]] devices such as [[motor vehicle]]s and [[pipeline]]s
*[[Transformer]]s
*[[Generator]]s and [[electric motor]]s
*[[Electrical transmission]] towers and cables

===In renewable energy production===
[[File:Darling_Wind_Farm.jpg|150px|thumb|Figure 3. Wind turbine.<ref>Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/Darling_Wind_Farm.jpg</ref>]]
Renewable energy technologies also rely on steel for the manufacturing.

*'''Solar''' - Steel is used in [[photovoltaic system]]s, [[solar thermal power plant]]s and [[heat exchanger]]s.
*'''Hydroelectric''' - [[Hydroelectric dam]]s depend on steel for strong reinforcement in order to prevent [[dam failures]].
*'''Wind''' - Steel is the primary material used in [[wind turbine|onshore]] and [[offshore wind turbine]]s, used in nearly every part of the turbine.
*'''Wave and Tidal''' - In order to withstand the rough marine [[environment]], strong steel components are required in [[energy from ocean waves|wave]] and [[tidal power]] systems.

Below is a Sankey diagram showing that a significant fraction of the world's industrial [[total final consumption]] of energy goes into iron and steel. Change the name of the country to see how this number varies around the world (specifically looking at the [[OECD]] vs. non-OECD total is interesting too).

<html>
<iframe id='TFC-sankey' class='data-visualization sector-Industry'></iframe>
</html>

==References==
{{reflist}}