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.

On May 9th in Turkey, POSCO had an official contract of MOU with CIMTAS STEEL for the supply of 35,000 tons of thick plates for towers on the Çanakkale 1915 project.

POSCO will be the main supplier for the towers of Çanakkale 1915 Bridge

POSCO finalized the contract with CIMTAS STEEL, the biggest steelmaker in Turkey, to supply 35,000 tons of steel plates as tower material of the Çanakkale 1915 Bridge.

Çanakkale 1915 Bridge will be constructed at the western end of the Sea of Marmara connecting Gelibolu and Lapseki in Çanakkale province. The construction will be finalized by 2023 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Republic of Turkey.

What makes the bridge special is the distance between the towers of the bridge. Currently, the longest span is the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge in Kobe which is 1,991m in distance between the towers. However, Çanakkale 1915 Bridge is ready to break the record as the constructed bridge span is 2,023m.

POSCO’s advanced thick plates will be used for manufacturing towers of the bridge

Building a strategic partnership

With POSCO’s wide range of solutions that can save the time of welding process, construction period and adopting solution that can supply special steel plate which is more than 100mm thick will be provided for the project. Also, POSCO’s advanced transport and storage solution will ensure a safe and sound supply.

In the MOU, POSCO and CIMTAS has agreed to establish global partnership by sharing advanced steel product, solutions and projects.

Besides, POSCO is also preparing to introduce the solutions for the wire rods for cable, thick plates for deck that support the road. POSCO expects that these efforts will bring positive impact on global status of POSCO such as strengthening relationship with global companies or identifiying of new business.

In major cities around the world, industrial activity is creating visible damages. (Source: International Business Times)

In order to meet this mark, industries need to find sustainable sources of fuel in the near future, or be met with costly penalties. Up to now, the price of non-renewable fuel was too attractive for clean energy to be competitive. However, tighter regulations, major leaps in technology and state-level commitment have birthed a new era of renewable energy.

Energy you can bank on

According to Bloomberg analysts, USD 10.2 trillion will be spent on new power generation by 2040, 72 percent of which will go towards wind and solar photovoltaic plants. By then, the cost of solar electricity will drop 66 percent, meaning by 2021, solar power will be cheaper than energy from coal in China, India, Mexico and the UK. The cost of onshore wind power will decrease by 47 percent by 2040, and offshore wind power by 71 percent thanks to more advanced and cost-effective wind turbines.  

Renewable energy is getting more and more competitive, and companies who don’t make the switch to clean fuel will be left out of the race.

SEE ALSO: How POSCO Sees a Future of Renewable Energy

However, electricity doesn’t fall from trees.

It falls from steel! Tons of steel (literally) are used to extract and convert energy from renewable energy sources.

Wind Energy

Most wind turbines are made of steel, and for an average wind turbine, 140 tons of steel are used. That accounts for 80 percent of all the materials that go into the tower, the nacelle, rotor blades and its supporting facilities. The majority of steel is used to make the tower which serves as the foundation on which the blades turn to generate energy. There are several types of turbine towers, such as steel-concrete hybrid towers, steel truss towers and steel lattice towers, but about 90 percent of all wind turbine towers are made of tubular steel. Also, steel’s non-corrosive properties maximize the lifetime of wind turbines and minimize maintenance costs.

Solar Energy

Solar electricity is one of the most promising types of renewable energy. By as soon as 2030, it can make up 13 percent of the world’s energy, and by 2050, the sun will be the largest source of electricity on earth. And steel will be soaking it all up – the sunlight that is. Steel makes up not only the frame of the solar panels, but the heat exchangers and other related infrastructure. Stainless steel is a great choice for solar panel frames because it is dense, high in strength and has the greatest corrosion-resistance than other light metals.  

SEE ALSO: India: A Rising Sun in the Global Renewable Energy Industry

Geothermal Energy

Mother earth just keeps on giving. There are about 1400 TWh of geothermal energy in the earth’s core that can be harvested by 2050. Geothermal energy gives off extreme heat, so it is vital for the heat exchangers, condensers, pipes, filters, pumps and valves to be corrosion resistant. Otherwise, maintenance costs would be unsustainable and corrosion can contaminate the water as well. That’s why most of the infrastructure related to geothermal energy is made of iron castings, stainless steel and steel alloys.

Tidal Energy

There’s plenty of energy in the sea as well. In the world’s oceans, there are about 1 million megawatts of usable tidal energy. Steel makes up most parts of the underwater turbines including the nacelles, support structures and underlying piles for a sturdy and sustainable power source. As with other renewable energy, increasing the lifetime and decreasing maintenance costs will determine the competitiveness of tidal energy. Thus, stainless steel is the go-to material for corrosion resistance. The infrastructure related to tidal energy extraction is massive in scale and will call for thousands and thousands of pounds of steel to construct.  

Korea is the largest source of tidal energy in the world, with 552.7 GHw of electricity harvested from Siwha Lake every year. It’s also where steelmaker POSCO is located to provide the necessary types and grades of steel for renewable energy production.

POSCO E&C has its own solar, wind, tidal and refuse-derived fuel (RDF) plants, which makes sure even industrial wastes get turned into energy. The company was also the first company in Korea to build a solar power plant in 8 different regions capable of generating 31.2MW of solar electricity.

In order to stay competitive in the market, industries are already using or transitioning towards renewable energy sources to fuel their business activities. As governments around the globe also commit to a greener future, the demand for steel used in renewable energy infrastructure will see a significant boost.

Cover photo courtesy of the National Geographic.

However, the Amazon is under constant human threat as deforestation continues to increase with the expansion of industry and agriculture, as well as the growing number of natural disasters, including the drought that plagued San Paulo last year. But one team of scientists and researchers is going to great lengths (and heights) to better understand climate change and the effect it is having on our world.

Into the Jungle

To better comprehend the key roles the Amazon plays on a local, regional and global scale, a German-Brazilian joint project was initiated in 2008. It was coordinated by the Max Planck Institute, the Brazilian National Institute of Amazonian Research and Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA).

The central objective of the project was to build the Amazonian Tall Tower Observatory (ATTO), a scientific research tower, in the heart of Brazil’s Amazonian rainforest, hundreds of kilometers away from the closest city—and subsequently any anthropogenic influence.

Now the tallest structure in South America, the mast aims to collect data from a 700-kilometer radius for four kinds of research, including chemical changes in the atmosphere, the formation of clouds, the types and quality of pollen and the effect of global warming on photosynthesis by plants. By monitoring such changes, researchers are hoping to see how climate change is contributing to extreme weather events over the next 30 years.

Steel—A Tower of Strength

But constructing a giant tower in the middle of the isolated and often unforgiving Amazon was no easy feat.

It was essential that the material selected for the tower’s construction would be able to withstand the tropical conditions of the rainforest. Steel’s strength, combined with its unique versatility and lightweight properties, best met engineers’ requirements for the structure.

As a result, approximately 120 tons of steel were used to build the 142-ton, 325-meter-tall tower.

The steel structure of the ATTO tower was transported 4,000 kilometers by road and river from a steel plant in southern Brazil, and up a dirt track into the depths of the forest. This track, which was created specifically for the project, allowed for the successful transport of some 15,000 tower components to the construction site.

At the site, each of the various tower elements had to be lifted and assembled using 24,000 screws and bolts, while 26 kilometers of steel cable was needed to safely anchor the tower to the rainforest ground. Overall, the ATTO required the manpower of 30 workers and took about four months to complete.

Getting to the top of the 108-story-high structure takes an hour and a half; scaling it requires scientists and workers to lock carabiners onto a steel cable which runs continuously along the stairs of the superstructure like a handrail. At platforms on the way up, researchers can access the measurement equipment that collects data.

The tower was officially inaugurated last August and in the coming months, it will be equipped with additional instruments before the actual measurements will start by the end of this year.

Better Understanding for a Brighter Future

The ATTO complements the Zotino Tall Tower Observation Facility (ZOTTO) in Siberia, Russia, which was also built in partnership with the Max Planck Institute in 2006. The cable-stayed steel truss mast that boasts inlet pipes made of stainless steel has been used for greenhouse gas and aerosol monitoring.

It’s the hope of scientists that steel towers like ATTO and ZOTTO will provide a clearer understanding of the role played by various ecosystems most crucially in the context of climate change. This, in turn, could transform the remote, untouched corners of the world into areas of global importance unlike ever before.

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One Turbine, Many Steel Parts

Image Credit: World Steel Association

From its all-important foundation down to its screws and studs, every part of a wind turbine—machinery used to produce wind energy—depends on iron and steel. In fact, steel, on average, represents 80 percent of all the materials used to construct a wind turbine. The main components of the machine are the tower, the nacelle and the rotor. While the blades are generally made of other materials, such as carbon fiber or alloys, steel holds the turning blades in place, utilizing a cast iron or forged steel rotor hub.

At the top of the tower are the rotor and the nacelle. Because a nacelle can weigh as much as 300 tonnes, steel’s strength makes it the perfect material for the nacelle’s frame, housing and machinery. The nacelle contains some of the highest-value steel, including electrical steel, a specialty metal tailored to fabricate the specific magnetic properties that make wind energy feasible.

Behind the blades, a low-speed shaft transfers the rotational force of the rotor to the gearbox. Here, the gears are operated using precision tools and hardened steel components, and increase the low rotational speed of the rotor shaft to the high speed required to power the generator. Next, the mechanical energy captured by the blades is converted into electric energy, which is then directed to the transformer and converted to the higher voltage needed by the electricity grid.

Most of the steel in a wind turbine is utilized in the tower. There are a variety of towers, including steel-concrete hybrid towers, steel truss towers and steel lattice towers, but about 90 percent of all wind turbine towers are tubular steel towers. To construct one of these, fan-shaped plate segments are cut from rectangular parent steel plates and are then roll-formed and welded into cone sections. The tower and the foundation, which connects the turbine to the ground or seabed, have to be tailored to carry these heavier blades and the bigger rotor that they necessitate.

Steel-Powered Wind Energy of the Future

From a climate change and sustainability perspective, it is important to take into account the life cycle of wind turbines. Because steel is infinitely recyclable and has a limited environmental impact, it only makes sense that it is a primary material in turbine construction. The recovery of the material at the end of its useful life (which, in wind turbines, is usually 20 to 30 years) also helps to regain upfront costs, owing to the value of steel scrap. As traditional turbines age, maintenance and replacements are needed. In response to this disadvantage, new solutions are being explored to revolutionize wind energy.

Image Credit: World Steel Association

Enter the EWICON (Electrostatic Wind Energy Converter)—the first ever wind energy generator that requires no blades or moving parts. Developed by researchers at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, the EWICON is a large rectangular-shaped steel frame that stands vertically and is made up of 40 steel tubes that run horizontally within the frame and generate charged water droplets. The droplets are discharged from the steel tubes and blown by the wind. Their movement generates power that is transferred to the electricity grid. Because the EWICON doesn’t have moving parts, maintenance costs are minimal. Additionally, it doesn’t make noise, vibrate or generate shadows, so it is more suitable for urban areas.

Likewise, the Dutch Wind Mill, a new project that is part of a collective effort to transform the Dutch city of Rotterdam into a clean technology city, incorporates EWICON technology and serves as another example of the ever-improving wind energy technologies.

This “Windmill of the Future” has been designed as a 174-meter-tall bladeless steel-and-glass windmill that is to be encased by 30,000 square meters of space containing apartments, a panorama restaurant and a hotel, which will all be linked together via a series of rotating observation cabins. The structure’s inner ring area will be comprised of a framework of horizontal steel tubes that generate energy in a new and sustainable way.

Dubbed the Electrostatic Wind turbine, it is a giant step up from a traditional wind turbine. Not only will this structure work like an ecosystem, but it will also be entirely energy-neutral and connected to a smart grid for surplus energy. Other technological features include an interactive information layer within the glass facades of the cabins, as well as systems for water treatment for organic waste and photovoltaics. At the moment, the project is in its research and development stages, but is set for completion between 2020 and 2025.

Continued technological advancements and supportive policy measures have the ability to dramatically increase the future of wind energy development around the world. In doing so, they will provide a more sustainable energy solution to meet the changing demands of the world. Steel will continue to support both traditional wind turbines, as well as the wind energy technologies of the future.

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The images that cross your mind may seem apocalyptic, or even impossible to fathom. There is barely a part of our lives today that is not influenced by the metal, and it is not an exaggeration to say that steel is perhaps the most significant component of the modern world. Without it, civilization as we know it would cease to exist. Let’s take a look at a few ways the world would be a different place without steel.

Skylines would be incredibly boring.

Structures such as skyscrapers and towers would be inconceivable without steel supports and cables. Therefore, buildings would be low-rise at their tallest, making densely populated cities devastatingly uncomfortable. It’s hard to imagine a world without the likes of the Burj Khalifa, the Eiffel Tower or the Empire State Building, all of which utilize steel as a main construction component.

We’d have very few options for dinner.

The food we eat today has been refined in factories with steel tools, processed with steel equipment, baked in steel ovens and preserved in steel cans. It is delivered to us via steel trains on steel rails, or by steel trucks over steel-reinforced roads. As such, in a world without steel, our food sources would be limited to what could be cultivated locally and the possibility of faminewould be persistent.

Getting in touch would take for-ev-er.

(Image source: http://bit.ly/1dgLFuc)

Without steel to manufacture telephones, computers or even mail trucks, we would be stuck relying on less than efficient carrier pigeons (which were actually a thing a few thousandyears ago) or the pony express. So much for instant connection.

Reading material would be extremely limited.

(Image source: http://bit.ly/1tNFW6q)

Newspapers, magazines and books we read today are mostly printed on a steel press. Even the paper is made from wood which is cut with steel implements and processed in steel machines. Mind you, there wouldn’t be any steel-plated pens, either, so quills would be used to write and copy the material. Of course, there might be bronze movable type printing, but it would still take a very long time and amount of patience to carry out.

Disease would run rampant.

Stainless steel has contributed greatly to improved sanitation in hospitals, restaurants and other public environments, and has helped to save the lives of millions. Easy to clean, it is more hygienic, impervious to corrosion and scratch-resistant, and is capable of standing up to harsh sterilizers, heat and heavy use, preventing deadly bacteria from surviving on its surface. Without it, the constant threat of diseases such as Ebola and measles would be very real.

Unemployment would rise and the economy would crumble.

Crude steel production reached 1.66 billion tons worldwide in 2014 which only says one thing about our world… it’s growing. It’s estimated that more than 95 countries are producing steel today, with more than two million employees worldwide, and a further two million contractors and four million people in supporting fields. Without this vital industry, the world economy would suffer and many people would be without jobs.

A glimpse into the world of steel

Fortunately, we do live in a modern world where steel does exist and its importance is clear. Yet few people tend to notice it, or understand how it works. Which is why TenarisUniversity, in conjunction with the World Steel Association’s steeluniversity, has launched the massive open online course (MOOC), “Introduction to Steel.”

This lively online learning program will feature the basics of steel melting, steel’s historical and cultural context, its relationship with society and the sustainability of a world supported by steel by utilizing everyday examples, demonstrations and film footage of steel making. Additionally, it will encourage community interactions between students and the professor.

“We believe in the highest standards of education to develop people all around the world,” Rolando Lange, Director of TenarisUniversity noted. “With this MOOC, we hope students will get passionate about steel as a material and learn about the critical role it plays in our society.”

Comprised of a four-hour framework, the course is open to all free of charge. It starts on June 2 and will run for two weeks. Registration is now open. Click here to enroll in the class, or for more information.

Revolutionary Features of Korea’s New Landmark, Northeast Asia Trade Tower

#1. 3-Dimensional Exterior Design Minimizes the Effect of Wind Load

POSCO Engineering & Construction, the construction arm of Korea’s top steelmaker POSCO, applied its most innovative and cutting-edge technology in the construction of NEAT Tower, the tallest building in Korea. To minimize the effect of wind load on the building, the tower was constructed under a 3-dimensional exterior design which features a trapezoid at the base which gradually transforms into a triangle at the top.

#2. Seismic Force Resisting System Utilizing Belt Truss and Outriggers

NEATT’ s main frame system consists of 27 perimeter columns, six corner mega columns, a core wall, and an outrigger/belt truss, all of which are systemically integrated. The core wall takes about 65% of the total gravity load and 70% of the total overturning moment due to wind load. The outrigger systems are installed on the 34^th and 65^th floors of NEATT and the structural design was performed in such a way that the axial load developed in columns due to the outrigger’s share of the overturning moment could also be resisted safely. The outrigger and belt system takes 30% of the overturning moment.

The core walls and columns of NEATT, an SRC structural building, were constructed with 12,841 tons of POSCO’s globally renowned high-strength reinforced concrete and SD40 reinforcing bars. The corner mega column was, for the first time in the construction of skyscrapers in Korea, built with 7,870 tons of SMC570TMC steel. The glass curtain wall enveloping the exterior was installed using low-emissivity glass. Low-emissivity (low-E) coatings are microscopically thin metal layers that are deposited on a window surface to help keep heat on the same side of the glass from which it originated. Glass with Low-E coatings reflect infrared light while allowing visible light, keeping the movement between interior and exterior heat to a minimum.

* Technical specifications of the Northeast Asia Trade Tower referenced from “NEATT Design of Structural System,” Dong Yang Structural Engineers Co., 2014.

#3. High Level Security and Anti-Disaster Measures

As the landmark building of Korea, Northeast Asia Trade Tower boasts high level security and anti-disaster measures. For example, it deployed global positioning system (GPS) sensors to help ensure the real-time measurement of vibration, displacement or deformation in the building caused by external factors, making it possible to preemptively identify any issues that could compromise the safety or structural integrity of the building. Additionally, the Seismic Force Resisting System can withstand magnitude 7-8 earthquakes.

In addition, the anti-disaster control center located on the first basement floor provides the ability to centrally monitor the power supply, lighting, CCTV system, access control and other utility services. The 30^th and 60^th floors each have a shelter that can accommodate up to 4,000 occupants safely and promptly in the event of an emergency, such as a fire. The building has 29 elevators operating at a speed of 420 meters per minute and capable of carrying users from the ground floor to the observatory on the 65^th floor within one minute.

< The anti-disaster control center located on the first basement floor provides the ability to centrally monitor the power supply, lighting, CCTV system, access control and other utility services. >

Going Green: A Striking Example of Sustainable Design

NEATT serves as a model of sustainable design strategies, carefully balancing energy conservation, increased indoor environmental quality, and occupant comfort. With a range of passive design strategies such as daylighting, natural ventilation and energy-efficient HVAC systems, the tower targets to achieve LEED^® Silver certification.

Like other buildings in New Songdo City, NEATT purchases district hot water from a new, highly efficient cogeneration facility located nearby. Hot water, used for heating and cooling via absorption chillers, is generated from waste heat recovered during the process of producing electricity. The building is estimated to reduce source-energy CO2 emissions by 6,000 tons per year when compared to a “standard” code-compliant office tower with on-site electric chillers and a natural-gas boiler plant.

Furthermore, the paint, carpets and wallpaper used in the construction of the building’s interior were of eco-friendly, non-toxic material in order to prevent the occurrence of Sick Building Syndrome.

* NEATT sustainability design features referenced from articles by ARUP and Built Expressions

<A Night View of the NEAT Tower and Songdo International Business District, Incheon>

The Northeast Asia Trade Tower is expected to boost the regional economy along with an increase in floating population, markets, employment and visitors from overseas once companies move into the building. Moreover, it appears to give momentum to draw more businesses to Songdo International Business District since clients of Daewoo International and other companies engaged in the related fields are expected to move into the building. We hope that NEAT tower will soon become Korea’s most well-known landmark in the days to come!