The “Green New Deal” is what’s getting Greenie’s attention these days. The Green New Deal is about promoting sustainable development and converting energy policies centered on fossil fuel to new and renewable energy. This is something that Greenie, the protector of the environment, can’t overlook, right?

Among the many acts of the Green New Deal, wind power is in the limelight not only in Korea but also worldwide. Greenie remembers seeing from an airplane giant wind turbines standing by the beach. Today, we are going to learn about offshore wind power and POSCO’s solution behind it.

l Offshore Wind Power: The Trend For Now & The Future

Let’s see. According to the Global Wind Energy Council report, the global wind power market has grown significantly at an annual average of 24% since 2013. New installations in 2019 recorded 60.4GW. How is it going to be in the future, then? In 2024, annual installation is forecasted to be 73.4GW, and the noticeable part is that the percentage of offshore wind power is expected to increase significantly by more than 25%. Offshore has more constant and stronger winds than inland, and there are no issues regarding sunlight and noise. Hence, the popularity of offshore wind power is on the rise.

If wind power capacity expands as forecasted, we might anticipate a more sustainable energy consumption than coal-fired power or LNG. Now, wind turbines should be installed in places that have rough and strong winds. But wouldn’t the strong winds cause problems with the safety and durability of the structure? Also, how do offshore wind power turbines withstand seawater? Since wind turbines will certainly apply steel, I’ll have to ask Steely about it!

l The Irreplaceable Material For Wind Power Structure, “Steel”

Steely, these days, the number of offshore wind power projects has increased tremendously. Is it safe to have such a huge structure standing in the sea like that?

Don’t worry, Greenie. POSCO has been working with wind turbine manufacturers for a long time to make safe wind power structures. As you said, wind power structures are really large and are always exposed to harsh natural environments. Also, the turbine installed on top has to keep rotating for a very long time, so there are high risks of damage or defects. That is why POSCO is equipped with various steel products for wind power structures, including the following: 1) Hyper NO: non-grain oriented electrical steel that increases energy efficiency by reducing power loss of the motor within the turbine, 2) POSCO Windpower (PosWIND): highly durable wire rods that can minimize the friction of the turbine bearing, and 3) Steel for Wind Power: steel plate that helps the tower and foundation to withstand the harsh environment. With the development of the wind power industry, Many companies specializing in wind power towers and foundations have been established. And all of these companies utilize only steel pipes. It shows that steel is an indispensable material for offshore wind power structures, and material research continues to make safe wind power structures.

▲ A wind power structure consists of a “tower” that provides support, a “blade” that rotates against the wind, a “generator” that isn’t visible on the outside, and a “foundation” that securely fixes the tower to the seabed.

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How come steel is used as the main material for wind power structures?

It is because of the outstanding yield strength and fatigue strength of steel. The term seems complex, but the concept is simple. In general, wind power structures are designed to have a lifespan of 20 to 25 years, but they are constantly exposed to wind and waves of various directions and strength during this period. Yield strength depicts the force that a material can withstand without being deformed when subjected to an external force. If the yield strength is 355 MPa, it means that the material, when pressed with 355 MPa, can endure without any bending or deformation. However, other than 355 MPa being applied at once, it is rather the small forces repeatedly applied that can eventually destroy the material. And the strength to endure this is named fatigue strength. If the fatigue strength is 90MPa, it means that the material can withstand 2 million times of 90MPa, which is the change in stress (the difference between the maximum and minimum record). Steel plates with a yield strength of 355 MPa and a fatigue strength of 90 MPa are usually applied to the foundation of wind power structures. The steel plates used here are called “steel for wind power”.

So, you mean to say that steel for wind power is thick steel that does not easily break or bend even under repeated stress, right?

You’re right. For the foundation of wind power structures, which receives the most amount of weight, the material mainly applied is the steel for wind power with a thickness of 70 to 100 mm and the strength mentioned above. It’s really thick, isn’t it? Since the material should have various strengths, be corrosion resistant to withstand seawater, and be thick, it is difficult to produce and poses a high-cost burden to client companies. So what must be done? This is where POSCO’s solution steps in. POSCO provides applied technology securing the quality that clients desire while increasing cost competitiveness and creating optimal designs! Especially POSCO is working hard to increase the size of the material, which is the trend of the wind power structure market.

l The World’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm Grows Even Bigger with POSCO’s Solution!

– Hornsea, the world’s largest offshore wind farm with 339 large monopile wind turbines

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Increasing size is a trend? So how does increasing size have to do with wind power structures?

By enlarging the turbine and raising the tower higher, it becomes possible to obtain excellent wind quality and increase power efficiency. The wind power structure at Vindeby, the world’s first offshore wind farm installed in Denmark in 1991, was 54m high and had a wind power capacity of merely 0.45MW. However, recently, power structures with a height of over 190m and a power capacity of 8MW are being installed offshore. Naturally, the towers and foundations will also become bigger, right? The towers, which were formerly 5m in diameter, have been expanded to more than 6m. While the foundations, which were mainly 7m in diameter in the past, have grown to be more than 8m these days.

I’ve seen the tower above sea level, but what does the foundation of the wind power infrastructure on the seabed look like?

There are several types of foundations, and they can be largely divided into fixed and floating structures. The most popular one among them so far is the fixed structure “monopile,” which is widely adopted by global energy companies being the most cost-efficient type. The foundation of the monopile protects the tower from extreme environments, including repeated vibrations under the sea, collisions with other floating objects, and rough waves.

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Is steel the main material for this monopile as well?

Yes. The most representative example built with this monopile type is the Hornsea offshore wind farm in England. Hornsea is the world’s largest offshore wind farm with a total of 339 wind power structures — 174 in Project 1 and 165 in Project 2 — with a total power capacity of 2.6GW. The conventional turbine capacity per structure ranged from 5 to 6 MW, but as it was increased to 7MW in Project 1 and to 8MW in Project 2, the structure became larger as well. So as of present, the monopile also reaches 8m in diameter. And POSCO’s solution has enabled the significant expansion of the Hornsea wind farm.

– “LCOE,” the hot keyword of the energy industry

Ørsted, the global energy company operating this power plant, advanced to increase the turbine size and enhance operational efficiency. This is because high power efficiency in the long run ultimately leads to cost savings for operators. Including such cost reduction, reducing “Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE)” is a hot keyword in the energy industry. LCOE refers to the overall estimated power production cost that includes initial investment cost, fuel cost, maintenance cost, and social costs, such as costs for environmental pollution and safety. Most of the wind farms built these days are designed to reduce LCOE. And in order to reduce LCOE, increasing the size of the power structure becomes essential.

OK. So if the power structure becomes bigger, the steel applied must be strengthened accordingly, right?

Well. You might think that it would only be sensible to use stronger steel for the towers and foundation since the structure has become bigger. But here comes the twist. Ironically, orders for steels with weaker strength began to rush in.

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Huh? The tower is getting bigger, but orders are for material with weaker strength?

Think about it. For the foundation to withstand a specific load, all three factors — diameter, thickness, and strength — of the structure should be balanced. So, since the diameter and precision increase, the strength may rather weaken instead.

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You’re right! The strength can be lowered because the size has increased.

Let’s suppose you were making a pillar with a diameter of 1cm with very strong material, but you decided to expand the diameter to 2cm. Since the structural performance becomes stronger, even if the strength of the material is lowered, it can still sufficiently withstand the necessary load. Besides, the change in material means that it is going to be more economical. With this reasoning and taking LCOE into account, energy companies tried to make larger foundations from steel that were a little weaker and cheaper than conventional ones. Originally, the most used steel for wind power had a yield strength of 355MPa, but now steel with 275MPa yield strength could be used as well. However, POSCO had never received an order for steel with a yield strength of 275MPa. So what do you think happened?

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Well. POSCO wouldn’t have said, “Oh sorry, we’ve never made them before.”

It takes at least 6 months to mass-produce a new steel product, but the client wanted to receive the 275MPa grade steel for wind power as soon as possible. So POSCO came up with an idea to produce 355MPa grade steel for wind power and 275MPa grade steel for wind power at the same time! The idea was this: manufacturing a product in the same way as the 355MPa grade steel up to the slab process, then setting the rolling conditions differently to produce grade steel for wind power with a yield strength of S275MPa, and lastly supplying it immediately to the client.

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Ah, it’s like making dumplings all at once and then deciding whether to fry them or steam them!!

That’s right. And there is one more POSCO solution in action here. Ørsted required Ultra-large and thick steel (steel plate weighing more than 24 tons per sheet) so as to reduce welding of the wind power structure foundations. However, Ultra-large and thick steel are quite expensive since they can only be made in some places. So, instead of supplying Ultra-large and thick steel right away, POSCO proposed Ørsted a design where conventional steel plates are applied but with the same strength as a monopile made with Ultra-large and thick steel. The cost, of course, was much cheaper!

▲ The foundation of a wind power tower (monopile type). The outer diameter of the large tower reaches 12m maximum. (Image source: EEW Group)

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It must have been a competitive monopile design LCOE-wise!

Also, the applied technology for POSCO steel stood out. In order to ensure optimal usage of steel used in both the foundation and the tower, POSCO conducted structural analysis and mock-up tests together with the client for months and established appropriate welding technology. That’s how POSCO steel was put to use in the foundations and towers used for large wind power structures in the Hornsea 1 wind farm.

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There is a reason why the world’s largest energy company chose POSCO.

Ørsted, on experiencing POSCO’s solutions firsthand, entrusted POSCO with steel supplies for the second project. As a result, about 170,000 tons of POSCO steel were used to manufacture wind power structures in the Hornsea project. You can say that POSCO’s solution is hidden behind the world’s largest offshore wind farm.

l Wind Power Growing Bigger With Steel: How Sustainable Is It?

With the scale of the offshore wind power projects currently under progress and the various data forecasts, many companies will likely jump into the offshore wind power field in the future. Since steel has no alternative material for wind power towers and substructures, technical cooperation between the offshore wind power industry and the steel industry is inevitable. I think POSCO has a role to play here. So how much will these gigantic wind power structures help our planet in reality?

Let’s take the case of the Hornsea 1 project, where POSCO steel is applied. A single wind turbine can supply 24.5GWh of clean power annually, which can reduce 11,400 tons of carbon dioxide emissions when compared to the conventional power we currently use — fossil fuel-generated power. Since a wind turbine can be operated for about 20 years, it can produce about 490GWh during its lifetime and reduce approximately 230,000 tons of carbon dioxide. It has the same effect in reducing greenhouse gas as planting 3.46 million trees.

Now that I’ve heard all about it, I hope that wind power will soon become Korea’s no.1 energy source.

According to the trend of building large wind turbines, POSCO is considering facility investment for supplying Ultra-large and thick steel and other solutions to reduce LCOE. As the global wind power market is expanding rapidly, POSCO is also trying to keep pace and provide Sustainable solutions strategically.

I didn’t know that LNG was such an Sustainable energy source. As you mentioned, various technology developments are needed to use LNG better. Then, what is POSCO’s solution for the LNG industry?

First, let me introduce POSCO’s lineup of steel materials for low temperature and cryogenic applications. At POSCO, there is a trio fit for the purpose: 9% nickel steel, high manganese steel, and STS304L. Let’s see each one of them in detail.

l Presenting POSCO’s Trio for the LNG Industry

– No.1: 9% Nickel Steel

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9% nickel steel? Let me guess! It’s a steel product with 9% nickel, right?

Exactly. 9% nickel steel is the most widely used steel for cryogenic application. This is because nickel maintains outstanding strength and toughness even at extremely low temperatures. 9% nickel steel was first developed by an American company, INCO, in 1944, and its safety was proven through model testing in 1960. Since then, it has been widely used as a material for storage tanks of extremely low-temperature use. However, nickel has a downside: it is expensive, and its supply and demand are unstable.
In addition, 9% nickel steel could only be produced by few steelmakers in the past, so domestic shipbuilders had to depend on imports. Fortunately, POSCO succeeded in developing it for the first time in 1993, and after quality stabilization, production for the material has been accelerated from 2007. Recently, POSCO has been in active cooperation with the Big 3 shipbuilders in Korea — Hyundai Heavy Industries, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), and Samsung Heavy Industries — to develop their own technology for LNG storage tanks using this material.

– No.2: High Manganese Steel

High manganese steel? Is it steel with a lot of manganese?

You’re right. POSCO started developing high manganese steel for cryogenic application in 2010, and in 2013, succeeded in creating the new material for the first time in the world. The steel contains 22.5 to 25.5% manganese and is not easily damaged even at minus196 degrees Celsius. Unlike conventional carbon steel, which breaks under very low temperatures, high manganese steel can withstand such a harsh condition.

What’s the difference from 9% nickel steel?

Both steel products are applicable to extremely low temperatures, but they have a huge difference: cost competitiveness. Compared to nickel, manganese is more economical and has a stable supply and demand system, thanks to its abundant reserves. The cost of material is about 30% more economical for high manganese steel than 9% nickel steel, and the cost of welding is also much lower as well. Both 9% nickel steel and stainless steel are excellent steel materials for constructing LNG tanks. But since they were quite costly, POSCO developed high manganese steel as an alternative solution to the problem.
According to the regulations of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), only nickel alloy steel, stainless steel, 9% nickel steel, and aluminum alloy steel were permitted to be used as cryogenic materials for LNG tanks on board an LNG carrier. However, in 2018, high manganese steel also received official approval, which shows international recognition of POSCO’s technical excellence.

– No.3: STS304L

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Stainless 304L? I can’t guess this one.

Stainless steel contains nickel as well. 304 means that the stainless steel is “austenitic” at room temperature, and L means that it has low carbon content — under 0.03%. Stainless steel is much more machinable compared to 9% nickel steel and high manganese steel, so it is widely used in thick steel pipes and machinery of LNG plants. However, there are needs from certain clients who wish to use stainless steel for LNG tanks, so POSCO continues to develop technology and provide solutions regarding this steel.

Wow. POSCO developed a new steel product for the LNG industry? That’s amazing. I wouldn’t have imagined that the city gas I use at home was related to POSCO.

Right. But the real solution story hasn’t begun yet. Of course developing a new steel product is significant, but making sure that it is adopted and utilized by clients is much more important. POSCO has been involved in the R&D of LNG tanks with clients for many years so as to make LNG more economical and safer for us. Now let’s talk about our remarkable achievements.

l POSCO’s Solution for LNG!

Among 9% nickel steel, high manganese steel, and STS304L, POSCO’s clients may choose the optimal steel product according to the specifications of the LNG tanks they build. And POSCO provides the best solutions accordingly — regardless of which product it is.

– Solution for 9% Nickel Steel: Reducing Cost for Clients with the World’s Largest Size, Sharing Technology with SMEs!

Following a long period of research, vessels with LNG fuel tanks adopting POSCO 9% nickel steel are finally being constructed. They are none other than ‘HL ECO’ and ‘HL Green’ of Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries. Both vessels are 180,000-ton LNG-powered bulk carriers where POSCO’s 9% nickel steel is applied as materials for their fuel tanks. At the end of this year, both vessels will be delivered to the shipowner, H-Line Shipping. Other than the fuel tanks, POSCO steel plates were used in the body of the ships as well. Put differently, these vessels are the achievements of full localization — from materials to fuel tank technology. And here is another special solution from POSCO. POSCO can produce 9% nickel steel of all thicknesses required for LNG tank production and also “ultra-wide & long” nickel steel as well!

Ultra-wide & long? What’s so special about that?

LNG tank producers manufacture the tanks with 9% nickel steel in flat form and weld them piece by piece to build the tank. However, welding is costly and takes a long time, which has a significant impact on the overall process. So, the issue for POSCO clients was this: ‘How do we reduce the number of weldings?’ Also, the welding material for 9% nickel steel is especially more expensive than conventional steel. That’s why POSCO developed large-sized products to reduce welding points and costs.

When making a tank of the same size, welding 30 sheets of steel would definitely be much more efficient in terms of time and cost than welding 50 sheets of steel.

POSCO currently produces the world’s largest 9% nickel steel for shipbuilding. After six months of R&D, POSCO established a system to produce a product of up to 4.3m x 20m, which previously was limited to 3.85m x 15m. POSCO’s own R&D was important, but what mattered more were the many tasks and regulations to be resolved so as to apply this product in the actual field. So POSCO proactively discussed the quality of nickel steel with the British LR (LLOYD’S REGISTER OF SHIPPING) classification and based on the result, carried out the tank design, structural feasibility review, and performance testing with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard. The COVID-19 pandemic almost precluded the joint research, but POSCO installed a conference calling system for the client and continued cooperation. As a result, the first batch of ultra-wide & long 9% nickel steel could be supplied successfully to Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in April!

So those LNG tanks must be under production now.

POSCO’s ultra-wide & long 9% nickel steel is used in producing LNG fuel tanks for Hyundai Mipo Dockyard’s 25,000-ton DWT carrier for petrochemicals. This carrier is equipped with a dual-fuel engine that can utilize both bunker fuel and LNG. It is like a hybrid car at sea. The vessel will be completed in March next year and delivered to the ship owner, Bermuda’s MERIDIAN.

I’ve heard that Korea is an LNG carrier powerhouse. I also heard that Korean shipbuilders received orders for 118 out of 124 LNG-powered vessels from shipping companies around the world in the last three years — from 2017 to 2019. Now with these LNG tank materials and technology, Korea’s competitiveness is bound to become stronger!

You’re right. POSCO is looking for ways to keep growing together with SMEs who are producing LNG tanks as well as major shipbuilding companies. To help SMEs overcome the long-term recession in the shipbuilding industry, POSCO is providing them with the application technology of 9% nickel steel and high manganese steel on LNG fuel tanks free of charge. POSCO shares processing and welding technologies of 9% nickel steel and high manganese steel and invites global shipping companies to promote the products by SMEs in Korea. Thus, a stable industrial ecosystem where the mill, SMEs, and shipbuilding companies work jointly is created.

– Solution for High Manganese Steel: Breaking New Ground in the LNG Industry with New Material!

So you said that high manganese steel is a new product developed by POSCO, right? Then its application technology must have been developed from scratch.

Since high manganese steel was not a certified material in the LNG industry, it could not be applied to commercial projects in the beginning. So, POSCO worked on getting the material approval first, starting from the Korean Industrial Standard (KS) in 2014 to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) in 2017 and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 2018, respectively. The first case of high manganese steel applied successfully to LNG tanks is “Green Iris,” Korea’s first LNG-powered vessel, built in 2017. This vessel was built jointly by POSCO and Hyundai Mipo Dockyard and was spotlighted since it was the “world’s largest” LNG-powered bulk carrier that adopts POSCO-developed high manganese steel for the “first time in the world”. Currently, the vessel is in operation on the sea, transporting limestone from Gangwon Province to Gwangyang Works.

So LNG tanks made of high manganese steel are already being used? The progress has been made rapidly!

Recently, an onshore LNG storage tank made of high manganese steel has also commenced commercial operation. In its initial stage, high manganese steel was not registered on the domestic standard or LNG terminal-related design code, so it was necessary to revise the standards first. To verify the safety of these onshore LNG storage tanks adopting high manganese steel, POSCO even constructed and operated a pilot tank.
The test was conducted supposing that the life of the tank is 50 years. The process of filling the tank with LNG and draining it was repeated more than 1,000 times. After the test, the tank was disassembled, and technical evaluation confirmed that there was no problem with the performance of the high manganese steel. In 2019, the Korean Gas Technical Standards Committee listed high manganese steel on the KGS code as verified material for onshore LNG storage tanks, thus enabling commercialization. Soon after, tank No. #5 at Gwangyang LNG receiving terminal was constructed with high manganese steel, with a storage capacity of 200,000 ㎘, and it has been under operation since last April.

▲ POSCO high manganese steel was applied to the LNG fuel tank of Green Iris (left) and the tank No. #5 at Gwangyang LNG receiving terminal (right)

– Solution for STS304L: Developing Independent LNG Storage Tank Model with Stainless Steel!

Another significant achievement is an independent LNG storage tank model made with POSCO STS304L. This model is ‘SOLIDUS’ of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd. SOLIDUS adopts double stainless steel barriers to prevent LNG leakage and maximize safety. This design technology also obtained certification — to be suitable for application in actual LNG carriers — from the top 5 major global ship classification companies, such as LR (U.K.), ABS (U.S.), and DNV-GL (Norway). POSCO conducted various performance tests of STS304L in an LNG storage environment to support the development of SOLIDUS by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd.

The cooperation between POSCO and its clients is bearing fruit. It seems that POSCO has succeeded in capturing eco-friendliness and technical competitiveness at once! Will there be more to expect?

POSCO is participating in a study to construct the 6th LNG storage tank at Gwangyang LNG receiving terminal by upgrading its high manganese steel technology. The company also plans to utilize the technology for overseas projects once the international design code has been revised. Recently, a major European oil company that reviewed the application of high manganese steel showed a favorable response for its competitiveness at “Gastech 2020,” an international gas conference. In addition, POSCO is joining forces with its clients so that 9% nickel steel and STS304L can also be the key to the development of LNG tank technology.

When it comes to energy, the first things that come to mind would be fossil fuels, coal and oil in particular. These two most common energy sources aren’t considered Sustainable. On the contrary, the next most frequently used energy source is Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), and this is referred to be Sustainable!

l Liquefied Natural Gas Emerging as a Major Energy Source

Do you know anything about LNG? I heard that LNG is made by liquefying natural gas and also that this LNG will become the next generation energy source. Am I right?

Yes, you are right. At present, there are many POSCO’s customers engaging in the LNG industry, ranging from LNG vessels, LNG tanks, to LNG equipment. And they strongly insist that LNG will become the next ‘major’ energy source. In fact, the International Energy Agency (IEA) announced that, in the future, LNG will overtake coal as the second dominant energy source following crude oil. In 2019, the global demand for LNG reached 359 million tons, a 12.5% increase compared to 2018, and some predict that it will increase to 700 million tons by 2040.

What is the reason for all this?

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What matters are environment and safety. These days, we are slowly getting rid of products and technology that aren’t Sustainable. Coal and crude oil — the most commonly used energy sources — are fossil fuels and emit fine dust (PM 2.5), sulfur oxides (SOx), and nitrogen oxide (NOx) when utilized. Hence, both energy sources are far from being Sustainable. In the case of nuclear power plants, safety became an issue after the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Of course, there are other renewable energies like wind and solar power, but they are still insufficient to replace fossil fuels entirely.
In the case of LNG, dust, sulfur, and nitrogen are removed during the liquefaction process, so when it is burned, pollutants can be significantly reduced compared to other fossil fuels. It is also lighter than air, so in case of a leakage, it can be blown away easily. The chances of an explosion are also low since its ignition temperature is high. Those are the reasons why LNG has been spotlighted these days.

l LNG, How Helpful Is It to the Environment?

I heard that demand for LNG-powered vessels has increased dramatically in the shipping industry because of the new regulations issued by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2020. I guess that is why?

You know that EV, hydrogen cars, and hybrid vehicles are popular these days, right? But did you know that the amount of SO₂ emitted by the top 15 large vessels adds up to more than all vehicles combined worldwide? No wonder why the transition from bunker fuel-powered vessels to LNG-powered vessels is in progress.

Then can you compare the environmental impact of LNG-powered vessels and bunker fuel-powered vessels? I want to check whether LNG is indeed Sustainable.

OK! Let’s take the ‘Green Iris’ vessel, propelled by LNG, as a model vessel and compare the two following cases: a) when operated on LNG with a fuel tank made of 9% nickel steel, high manganese steel, and b) when operated on conventional bunker fuel with a fuel tank made of regular steel plate.
Let’s suppose that the vessel takes a round trip from Busan Port to the Port of Singapore once a month for 25 years. The environmental impacts include not just the operation period but the manufacturing stage with 9% nickel steel, high manganese steel, and regular steel plate as well. Setting the conventional bunker fuel as 100%, let’s take a look at the level of acidification, global warming, and resource consumption of LNG.

Wow. The acidification effect of LNG-powered vessels is almost halved compared to that of bunker fuel-powered vessels. While the level of global warming and resource consumption goes down to 73% and 64%, respectively.

Can you see how beneficial it is to use LNG in the long run? The main reason why regulation was enforced on bunker fuel is because of SOx, and, in LNG, the amount of SO₂eq emission — including SOx — is slashed to 630 tons, the half of 1,220 tons emitted by the bunker fuel scenario’s.

SOx? Doesn’t it precipitate fine dust? So, utilizing an LNG-powered vessel can help reduce almost 600 tons per ship!

Also, the emission of greenhouse gases (CO₂eq), such as carbon dioxide, a major cause of global warming, amounted to 360,000 tons in the bunker fuel scenario and 264,000 tons in the LNG applied scenario. It shows that an LNG-powered vessel can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 90,000 tons compared to a bunker fuel-powered vessel. Imagine that this 90,000 ton is discharged into our planet. One pine tree can absorb about 6.6 kg of carbon dioxide per year, so 90,000 tons is equal to the amount that can be absorbed by 13.6 million trees for a year.

What? 13.6 million trees? That’s a LOT. Then, what is this resource consumption impact?

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Resource consumption indicates the degree of natural resources depleted due to the consumption of fossil fuels. The index is not simply based on how much natural resource is consumed quantitatively, but it also takes into account how many of these natural resources remain. Hence, it could provide us with information beforehand so that no excessive resources are consumed. The higher the number, the greater the degree of depletion. And as demonstrated here, LNG has less impact on resource consumption than bunker fuel.

l LNG, How Helpful Is It to the Environment?

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If LNG is that good, why do we keep using coal and oil until now?

That’s because we lacked the technology to apply it. A downside of LNG is that its liquefaction process, transportation, and storage are quite tricky. Since LNG required enormous investment to create a value chain such as processing and transporting, it did not receive much attention in the past. Natural gas needs to be cooled down to below -163 degrees Celsius to become LNG. And it took quite a long time to develop technologies and materials suitable for this condition.

You mean that we produce the gas in gas fields, liquefy, and use it in liquid form? I heard that the city gas we use is LNG, but isn’t this in gas form?

Well, the supply chain of LNG is quite complicated. First, the natural gas produced at gas fields is shipped to the LNG liquefaction plant via pipeline. Here, the gas is liquefied and formed into LNG. This LNG is then transported with a specialized vessel called an LNG carrier, and when the LNG arrives onshore, it is stored in the LNG storage tanks at the LNG terminal, where it is vaporized into gas once again. Finally, it is sent to power plants or city gas companies through a pipeline.

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Wow. I didn’t know that LNG goes through so much before we get to use them. So I guess it requires advanced technology as well?

Yes, it does. The core technology is about tank design. And among other things, the material would be the most crucial part. The first LNG plant to be built on a commercial scale was the Cleveland plant in the U.S. in 1941. However, the plant was shut down in 1944 due to the destruction of the LNG tank during operation. The material used in making the LNG tank was known to be vulnerable to low temperatures, and it was one of the reasons why the LNG tank was damaged.

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I guess research on LNG tank materials wasn’t active back then. So we need a material that is strong enough to be used at very low temperatures.

When you apply force to an object, it withstands to a limit, deforms, and eventually breaks. Most materials become weaker at low temperatures. You must have seen that when an object quickly freezes, it tends to break easily. When LNG is unloaded and stored, its temperature changes rapidly — ranging from room temperature to below -163 degrees Celsius. And of course, the LNG tank should be able to withstand such dramatic temperature changes. Also, the material should have excellent machinability and be cost-efficient so that it can be fabricated into the desired structure.

Then we cannot use normal steel to make LNG tanks, right? What should we use then?

This is where POSCO’s steel solution steps in! Let me introduce you to the details from now on.

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☞ See [GPS] #2 POSCO’s Solution for the LNG Industry! (ep.2)

SEE ALSO: Ask an Expert: Electric Vehicles and the Future of the Automotive Market

However, implementing autonomous transportation systems is no easy task, from perfecting the technology to sorting out legal matters. Take a look at these 6 early-adapting cities around the world that have embarked on the road to driverless transportation systems.

Singapore

Last year, the city-state became the first in the world to launch an automated taxi service. While many companies such as Uber have been testing driverless taxi systems, no one has launched a working model yet. Singapore’s autonomous taxi service launched by nuTonomy only has six cars, but the company has plans to have a full fleet of driverless taxis on Singapore roads by 2018. For now, the fleet consists of modified Renault Zoe and Mitsubishi i-MiEV electrics that have an emergency driver at the wheel and researchers who ride in the back to gather data. The service is expected to drastically reduce the number of vehicles on Singapore’s congested roads.

Singapore is the first city in the world to have a running autonomous taxi service. (Source: Auto Evolution)

Los Angeles

After much delay, city officials finally made it legal to test driverless vehicles in L.A. this year, and by 2020, the city could have fully autonomous vehicles operating on its roads. So far, 43 companies such as General Motors, Apple and Uber have testing permits in California, which means that a driver must be at the wheel, prepared to take over in case of an emergency. The Department of Motor Vehicles will finalize the rules and regulations surrounding autonomous vehicle testing in 2018. Autonomous transportation is a sector that will continue to generate much investment, and L.A. was already losing business to other cities in the U.S. due to its regulatory restrictions. With the new guidelines in place, the city can expect to be bustling with startup activity and innovative solutions to its transportation challenges.

For now, L.A. law requires drivers at the wheel of every autonomous vehicle. (Source: Los Angeles Times)

Munich

Germany is home to the most advanced automakers in the world, and in August 2017, German lawmakers drew up the guidelines for operating autonomous vehicles. Under the new guidelines, all autonomous vehicle software must be programmed in such a way that human life will be protected at any cost, over animals and property. Germany’s Transportation Ministry is the first in the world to draw up such guidelines for automated driving, and wide-implementation of autonomous transportation is expected to follow, starting with Munich.

Munich Airport now provides autonomous shuttle services between Terminal 2 and a satellite facility. (Source: Bombardier)

Recently, Munich Airport launched an autonomous shuttle service that links Terminal 2 to a new infield satellite facility with an underground train. The trains are called INNOVIA Automated People Mover (APM) 300 and were built by Bombardier. The train tunnel is 382 meters and will have the capacity to move 10,900 passengers every hour in either direction.

Las Vegas

Las Vegas is another early-adapting city with plans to have autonomous transportation up and running throughout the entire city. However, the city’s first attempt at automated transportation ended badly when their automated shuttle bus collided with a semi-truck less than 2 hours after its debut. The cause of the accident was a delivery truck that backed into the bus. The shuttle was equipped with LiDAR sensors to map the roads. It was also fitted with cameras to identify obstacles on its path, and GPS locators for operators to locate the shuttle’s location. Despite the advanced systems, the city learned the hard way it cannot control what others do on the roads.

The truck hit the autonomous bus that didn’t have the ability to reverse. (Source: MBTMag)

China’s Zhuzhou City

Many good things are happening in China in terms of autonomous transportation. Recently in Zhuzhou, an autonomous, caterpillar-like bus was spotted. The Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART), was developed by CCRC, a Beijing-based company that deals with the supply of rail transit equipment. It moves along Zhuzhou roads via sensors and can travel up to 70km per hour on its electric batteries and is expected to cut carbon emissions and ease traffic congestion.

The ART looks like a cross between a bus and a train and glides through the city using sensors. (Source: Curbed)

London

In September, the UK’s first driverless bus was tested in London’s Olympic Park. Interestingly, residents, visitors and tourists were invited to take part in the test runs throughout the month of September, free of charge. Like other autonomous buses, this electric bus navigates the roads via sensors, cameras and GPS maps. So far, the tests have been successful and the city hopes to implement the buses throughout the city in the near future. Take a look at some of the initial reactions.

Going into 2018, companies such as Uber, General Motors and BMW are expected to continue investing in autonomous vehicles and ride-sharing services. As more and more cities fine-tune their regulations and guidelines surrounding such modes of transportation, the world should see driverless transportation options pop up in more places, with fewer errors, providing more sustainable transportation systems.

Cover photo courtesy of Business Insider. 

Smart Cities automatically detect cars, adjusting traffic lights to optimize flow. Smart Homes know when to turn the lights on and off or when to order more groceries. And Smart Devices track people’s movements, their biorhythms and more, so people can better take care of their health.

The Internet of Things (IoT) can also be elegantly simple. For example, Amazon has launched the innovative Amazon Dash, a simple, Wi-Fi-enabled button that can be attached to items around the home, and with a press it orders more of that item. Amazon Dash can be used to order paper towels, diapers, laundry detergent and other commonly used consumer products, connecting your home, making it smarter, and adding a new kind of convenience.

The Internet of Things (IoT) has come to POSCO, too, particularly when it comes to safety. As part of an approach to developing solutions called POSCO’s “Smart Safety,” POSCO is using the Internet of Things to improve safety awareness, reduce risks and get all our employees invested in being actively involved in safety.

POSCO’s Smart Safety Case Studies: Wearables to Ensure Safety

The current focus for improving safety in the workplace focuses on removing risks and raising awareness, to change people’s habits and sense of ownership. By combining these activities with the IoT, POSCO is looking to provide more scientific and efficient solutions.

Two case studies highlight the potential power of POSCO’s Smart Safety approach. One is using Internet of Things (IoT) technology to protect against gas leaks in factories. To guard against dangerous gases, POSCO uses sensors, constantly checking the air to make sure it is not poisonous or suffocating.

By connecting these sensors to employees’ smart watches, POSCO is able to increase the intelligence and speed of these safety networks. When a sensor detects a dangerous gas, it can immediately connect to everyone’s wearable devices, so they can instantly learn there is a problem and quickly get clear of the danger zone.

In addition, by analyzing information about the gas leak, the factory safety systems can automatically determine where the leak is originating and block the valves around it.

For the second case study, POSCO proposed adding additional sensors and safety equipment to employees’ clothing, giving them additional IoT protection even when working alone. In the hard hat, an accelerometer and other sensors could be added to monitor each person and protect against falls, gases and other dangers. In the safety vest, biosensors monitor heart rate, body temperature and other personal conditions. And a GPS sensor in the safety vest could ensure the company knows where its employees are, to better ensure their safety during an emergency.

By making our employees’ clothes into smart clothes, we can greatly increase awareness of and responsiveness to potential problems, which means reducing risk and keeping all workers safer.

Using Competition to Get Everyone Involved in Safety

POSCO has also worked to get everyone more involved in promoting safety through a Smart Safety Idea Competition. The entire company participated in this contest, held from March 21 to April 10, with 1,072 ideas officially submitted.

Among the ideas about how to incorporate IoT technology to improve safety were using location-based services to monitor workers in the factory; risk-monitoring on large vehicles like cranes and handling equipment; wearable devices to monitor worker health; and using aerial drones to monitor for gas leaks.

Employees’ strongest ideas will be picked, judged on effectiveness, realism, economics and related criteria. The winners of the safety competition will be announced in June.

Embracing Technology to Always Put Safety First

POSCO has long been an innovator in the steel industry, always looking to use the latest technology to create the best-possible products. And it’s no different when it comes to safety—any and all tools are welcome if they can help make the POSCO workplaces better for our employees.

The Internet of Things is transforming our world, making all sorts of everyday objects smarter and more connected, and that’s an innovation that can make a real difference in the steel industry. By being at the forefront of implementing the latest technology into a new safety paradigm, POSCO is showing its dedication to becoming “POSCO the Great.”

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