The Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) has announced a technological breakthrough in steel processing, successfully reducing carbon emissions from the annealing of galvanized steel strip by more than 98%.

The research team replaced traditional combustion methods with electric heating and redesigned the furnace heating configuration without altering the existing production line's operational logic, enabling the steel strip to be heated rapidly and evenly at high temperatures. Test results show that product quality and performance are comparable to traditional processes.

KIER noted that the simplified design of the new annealing system can reduce both capital investment and space requirements. When operated with renewable electricity, the technology could help steelmakers address international decarbonization pressures such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and support the industry’s transition toward low-carbon production.