ISO 14404-3:2017

Overview

ISO 14404-3:2017 specifies a consistent, site‑level calculation method for assessing CO2 emission intensity of steel plants that use an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) together with on‑site Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) production (coal‑based or gas‑based). The standard supports calculation of total annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and the emission factor per unit of crude steel production, with clear rules for boundary definition, material and energy flows, and applicable emission factors. It is targeted at plants producing mainly carbon steel and is intended to help steel producers establish CO2 emissions attributable to a site.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Boundary definition - establishes what on‑site processes and flows are included when calculating site CO2 intensity.
• Emission categories - defines three categories: direct emissions (on‑site), upstream emissions (imported materials, electricity, steam) and credit emissions (exports of material, electricity or steam).
• Material and energy flow definitions - standardizes how to account for inputs (raw materials, fuels, energy carriers) and outputs (crude steel, by‑products).
• Data collection and calculation procedure - includes required steps (e.g., 7.2.1–7.2.4) for gathering crude steel production data, direct/upstream emission data, credit sources and performing the calculation.
• Emission factors - provides guidance on selecting and applying CO2 emission factors for fuels, materials and energy.
• Annex A - informative guidance to convert emissions into energy consumption and to calculate consumption efficiency.
• Templates and examples - annexes include example templates and calculation examples to facilitate practical application.

Note: the standard is explicit that it cannot be used to set benchmarks or compare CO2 intensities of internal production processes within a site.

Practical applications and users

ISO 14404-3:2017 is intended for:

• Steel producers operating EAF + on‑site DRI facilities (coal‑ or gas‑based).
• Environmental and sustainability managers preparing site‑level CO2 inventories and corporate reporting.
• Carbon accounting and compliance teams calculating emission intensity (CO2/tonne crude steel).
• LCA practitioners and auditors who need a standardized site attribution method.
• Regulators and stakeholders seeking transparent, reproducible site CO2 figures (not for cross‑site benchmarking).

Benefits include improved transparency of site emissions, harmonized reporting across plants of similar configuration, and a straightforward method that avoids process‑level instrumentation.

Related standards and references

• ISO 14064‑1 (terminology mapping for direct and indirect GHG emissions)
• WorldSteel “CO Emissions Data Collection User Guide” (background reference used in development)
• Other parts of the ISO 14404 series (see ISO website for the full list)

Keywords: ISO 14404-3:2017, CO2 emission intensity, EAF, DRI, steel plant, emission factor, boundary definition, upstream emissions, carbon accounting.