Viridis Carbon Case Study Presented at ABM Week 2025
28/11/2025 - By Paula Pomaro, Energy Efficiency Engineer
The decarbonization of the steel industry is essential for meeting global climate targets, as the sector accounts for approximately 9% of anthropogenic CO₂ emissions. With instruments like the European Union's CBAM, carbon is no longer just an environmental indicator but acquires financial value, directly impacting companies' competitiveness and strategic decisions.
Although emission reduction often requires capital investment, digital tools capable of tracking operational data and emissions in high resolution allow for the identification of low-cost mitigation opportunities. Many of these insights stem from simple adjustments in production processes or operational standardization, which can significantly reduce emissions and costs. Vetta addressed this topic at ABM Week 2025, presenting results that demonstrate how digitalization can boost the reduction of emissions and costs, transforming operational data into concrete gains in efficiency and competitiveness.
Case Study: The Impact of Operational Variability
The study analyzed the product carbon footprint (PCF) of steel products manufactured in an electric arc furnace (EAF) over six months, using data from Viridis Carbon, which calculates emissions according to the GHG Protocol and ISO 14067.
Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions were tracked and individually attributed to each heat (or "run"), making it possible to identify significant variations in PCF across different steel families and grades. A correlation was observed between high PCF values and low metallic yields, which led to the simulation of scenarios where all heats achieved the average yield and the so-called “Golden Batch.”
This analysis demonstrated that operational optimizations—such as increasing metallic yield—can reduce emissions and CBAM-associated costs, highlighting the potential of digital tools to identify efficiency and carbon mitigation opportunities in steel production.
Scenario simulations showed the potential for savings:
By tracking the PCF at the production order level, it is possible to precisely identify and quantify the effects of operational variables on environmental performance and regulatory costs. The results reinforce the importance of high-resolution emissions traceability and demonstrate that integrating digital tools into production systems is essential for incorporating carbon management into the industrial strategy, on the same level as energy and productive efficiency indicators.
Vetta and the Future of Emissions Management
Vetta's presentation reinforces that carbon management must be a strategic part of industrial operation, just like energy efficiency. Digital tools such as Viridis Carbon are essential for this transformation, allowing steel companies to integrate emissions into their performance analyses and make more informed and competitive decisions.
Turn carbon management into a competitive advantage! Talk to our experts and learn how the Viridis Carbon Platform can help your company reduce costs, optimize operations, and meet global regulatory requirements.