简介:PresentlytheironandsteelmakersarecompelledtoincorporaterationalinitiativestoreduceitsprocessingCO2totalemissions.Inthemediumandlongterm,theinjectionofsmallparticlesofbiocharthroughthetuyereesinblastfurnaces,herecalledBio-PCI,offersattractivefeaturesfromtheenvironmentalandmetallurgicalpointofview,asitisarenewablecarbonneutralreductantandpresentslesserimpuritiesthancoke.However,itsutilizationinironplantsisbeenhinderedbythetraditionallargeavailabilityofrelativelyeconomicalcoalandcoke.Asthecostoftheprincipalprocessinginputsincreases(coal,cokeandironore)thegapbetweenfossilandrenewablereductantsdecreases.Inthissense,ourcontributionaimstocomplementthemetallurgicalinquiryoftechnicalfeasibilitywithastrategicidentificationoftheareaswithbestprospectstobenefitsfromtheincorporationofBio-PCI:wherecanitflourish?.Ouranalysisleadstoindicatethatemergingcountriesinspecific,China,BrazilandIndia,areinaprimepositiontoincorporatetheBio-PCIastheysimultaneouslycomplywithagrowingironindustrybasedonblastfurnaces,andpossessanimportantpotentialforenergygenerationfromforestryresidues.