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Emission reduction strategies in the EU steel industry: Implications for business model innovation

Author

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  • Matilda Axelson
  • Sebastian Oberthür
  • Lars J. Nilsson

Abstract

The European steel industry must achieve deep greenhouse gas emission reductions to become climate neutral by 2050. New business models are often proposed as one of the key solutions but are mostly addressed in general terms, without elaborating on or systematically analyzing how these new business models are actually linked to specific mitigation measures or strategies. In this paper, we assess when and to what extent different emission reduction strategies in the EU steel industry have implications for business model innovation. Through a review of 42 recent publications on industrial decarbonization, we identify 9 types of decarbonization strategies for steelmaking and their emission reduction potential. The strategies achieve emission reductions through material efficiency, emission efficiency, or a combination of both. For each strategy, we analyze the need for incremental or radical changes in business models on the basis of a thorough reading of the business model literature. Our findings show that EU steel firms can pursue several strategies to decarbonize without having to radically innovate their business models. Importantly, material efficiency strategies, arguably key to decarbonization, imply more radical changes to business models than emission efficiency strategies. Our study is a first contribution to the systematic assessment of industrial decarbonization strategies from a business model perspective. It is also an attempt to bring more rigor to the understanding of the role of business models in industrial decarbonization.

Suggested Citation

  • Matilda Axelson & Sebastian Oberthür & Lars J. Nilsson, 2021. "Emission reduction strategies in the EU steel industry: Implications for business model innovation," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(2), pages 390-402, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:inecol:v:25:y:2021:i:2:p:390-402
    DOI: 10.1111/jiec.13124
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    1. Eric Masanet & Niko Heeren & Shigemi Kagawa & Jonathan Cullen & Reid Lifset & Richard Wood, 2021. "Material efficiency for climate change mitigation," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(2), pages 254-259, April.
    2. Rainer Radloff & Ali Abdelshafy & Grit Walther, 2023. "An integrative and prospective approach to regional material flow analysis: Modeling the decarbonization of the North Rhine‐Westphalian steel industry," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(3), pages 662-675, June.
    3. Zhang, Xianggang & Ding, Yuanhui & Liu, Gongguo & Wang, Jianshan & Xie, Lingling & Yang, Mengru & Chang, Yulong & Jiang, Xia, 2025. "Feasible low-carbon technological pathway: Sustainable development strategies in the vanadium titanium steel industry," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 379(C).
    4. Swayam Sampurna Panigrahi & Supriti Mishra & Bandita Sahu, 2025. "What hinders the green supply chain management adoption in the Indian aluminium sector?," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(6), pages 14469-14495, June.
    5. Nick Blume & Maik Becker & Thomas Turek & Christine Minke, 2022. "Life cycle assessment of an industrial‐scale vanadium flow battery," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(5), pages 1796-1808, October.

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