Steelmaking is one of the most energy- and carbon-heavy industries, contributing a large portion of global energy demand and CO₂ emissions. Because production relies on energy-heavy processes, even small efficiency gains can have a meaningful impact on operating costs and emissions.
Siderúrgica Balboa is a Spanish steel plant that forms part of CL Grupo Industrial, an industrial holding active in steelmaking, steel structures, PET packaging, paper, cardboard, chemicals, renewables, hygiene, beauty, and jewelry. They produce carbon steel through an integrated process that combines several stages, including melting scrap in a 150‑ton electric arc furnace (EAF) powered by electricity and natural gas.
Recognizing the strategic value of optimizing this process, the company set out to enhance the EAF’s performance, aiming to reduce its energy consumption and reliance on natural gas while maintaining the highest production standards.
Following from the existing relationship with CL Grupo Industrial, Siderúrgica Balboa selected Spacewell Energy as the provider of the most effective energy management system for the steel industry. The collaboration combined their deep operational know‑how with Spacewell’s expertise in industrial energy optimization, creating the foundation for a data‑driven transformation of furnace efficiency.
Reducing Energy Costs in Steel Production
In a highly competitive and energy‑intensive sector, the key challenge for Siderúrgica Balboa was clear: how can a steel plant reduce energy costs without reducing production?
The plant’s total annual energy consumption was about 950 GWh, with an energy spend of 59.5 million euros. To reduce the amount of energy needed and the related cost, the team set out to rethink how they monitored and optimized gas consumption.
The objective was to reduce energy consumption by 15% without reducing production. Any solution had to be technically robust, quickly deployable during scheduled maintenance, and verifiable by an external party for Certification of Energy Savings (CAE).
Partnering with Spacewell Energy, they transformed the EAF from a “black box” into a fully measured and controlled process, opening the door to a data‑driven efficiency project that could be implemented within a tight maintenance window.
The Success Story of Siderúrgica Balboa
- How long did it take for the client so see verified energy savings?
- What technical solution was implemented to reduce gas consumption in the electric arc furnace?
- How was the chosen solution evaluated to comply with local regulation?
Fill the questionnaire to find the response to these questions and more in the downloadable pdf and read how Siderúrgica Balboa uses Spacewell Energy to monitor and optimize their energy consumption.
