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CSN Volta Redonda steel plant

Steel Plant in Brazil. Approximate location -22.51217, -44.11244.

Steel PlantBrazilCO₂ estimate (modelled)

CSN Volta Redonda steel plant is a steel plant in Brazil. Its listed capacity is 6,251,000 t of steel. Steel plants burn coal in blast furnaces or use electric arcs to melt scrap; in both cases the molten metal must be kept above 1,500°C and transferred through extensive hot piping and vessels. It is operated by Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional SA. By capacity it ranks #2 among 11 steel plants in Brazil. It emits about 7,646,497 t CO₂e a year from Climate TRACE, roughly comparable to the annual emissions of 1.8 million passenger cars. Its CO₂ per unit of capacity is 32% above the national median for this sector.

6,251,000t of steel
7,646,497t CO₂e / yr (Climate TRACE)
#3CO₂ rank in Brazil
1.22t CO₂ per capacity unit

Facility data: Climate TRACE v6 (asset-level capacity & CO₂e, CC BY 4.0), id ct-32440381.

Data status

Known source data

FacilityCSN Volta Redonda steel plant Climate TRACE
CountryBrazil Climate TRACE
Coordinates-22.51217, -44.11244 Climate TRACE
Sector / subsectoriron-and-steel Climate TRACE
Reported capacity6,251,000 t of steel Climate TRACE
Owner / operatorCompanhia Siderúrgica Nacional SA Climate TRACE
GEM steel parentCompanhia Siderúrgica Nacional SA [100%] Global Energy Monitor
Steel process routeintegrated BF Global Energy Monitor
Steel asset statusoperating Global Energy Monitor
Steel equipmentBF, BOF, EAF Global Energy Monitor
Steel capacity6,250 ktpa Global Energy Monitor
Modelled CO₂e7,646,497 t/yr Climate TRACE

Calculated from the dataset

Brazil rank#3 of 130 · top 2.3% calculated
Global iron-and-steel rank#93 of 868 · top 10.7% calculated
Climate contextderived from coordinates calculated

Not available

Fuel typeNot available not in dataset
Thermal capacity (MW)Not available not in dataset

Source data, measured cross-checks and calculated values are kept separate. No confidence percentage is invented.

Similar facilities by modelled emissions

Same Climate TRACE subsector; closest non-placeholder modelled CO₂e values. Russia and Belarus excluded.

Operating power plants within 50 km

PowerAtlas operating assets, ordered by great-circle distance from published coordinates.

In context: how this facility compares

At 6,251,000 t of steel, CSN Volta Redonda steel plant is well above the median steel plant in Brazil (950,000 t of steel). Subsector: iron-and-steel. As steel plant, it requires high process heat (typically 800–1500°C) for its core industrial operations — heat that must be supplied by boilers, furnaces or direct combustion, and losses through uninsulated vessels and piping represent wasted fuel. Removable modular insulation can cut those losses by 80–96%, surface-cooling equipment to ≤45°C, with payback often under 2 years. Steel plants burn coal in blast furnaces or use electric arcs to melt scrap; in both cases the molten metal must be kept above 1,500°C and transferred through extensive hot piping and vessels.

Capacity & CO₂-intensity comparison computed from Climate TRACE industrial facilities data; sector role based on engineering reference.

What 7,646,497 t CO₂e a year looks like

This facility's estimated annual CO₂e (Climate TRACE, modelled) in everyday equivalents from the US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies calculator:

1.8 millioncars driven for a year
997khomes' annual energy use
127 milliontree seedlings grown 10 years

Equivalencies: US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies. Emissions: Climate TRACE.

Carbon cost, Scope 1 & decarbonization potential

At its reported 7.6M t CO₂e/yr (Scope 1), CSN Volta Redonda steel plant carries no domestic carbon price — and as a CBAM-covered product, its 7.6M t at the EU CBAM rate (€75/t) is €576M/yr of exposure on EU-bound exports. CBAM share rises from 2.5% (2026) to 100% by 2034. The fastest decarbonization lever is energy efficiency: eliminating heat loss on hot equipment (removable insulation, steam & waste-heat recovery) typically cuts 2–5% of fuel-related CO₂ — here ≈153k t–382k t/yr, worth €11.5M€28.8M, with payback up to 2 years. No domestic carbon price — but cement, steel, aluminium, fertilizer and hydrogen exported to the EU face CBAM at €75/t (rising to 100% by 2034).

7.6M t CO₂e / yrScope 1 emissions
€576M/yrCBAM exposure on EU exports
153k t–382k t/yr ≈ €11.5M€28.8MDecarbonization potential

Carbon price: EU CBAM €75/t · EU ETS €79/t, July 2, 2026, refreshed live via Carbon Hub. CO₂: Climate TRACE. Efficiency range: US DOE / ASTM C680 (method). Indicative carbon value, not the cash bill — free allocation applies; not compliance advice. Estimate the saving for this site →

Capacity vs largest steel plants in Brazil

ArcelorMittal Tubarão steel plant: 7,500,000 t of steel7.5MArcelorMit…CSN Volta Redonda steel plant: 6,251,000 t of steel6.3MCSN Volta …Ternium Brasil Santa Cruz steel plant: 5,200,000 t of steel5.2MTernium Br…Usiminas Ipatinga steel plant: 5,000,000 t of steel5.0MUsiminas I…Gerdau Açominas Ouro Branco steel plant: 4,360,000 t of steel4.4MGerdau Aço…Gerdau São Paulo Araçariguama steel plant: 950,000 t of steel950kGerdau São…Gerdau Cosigua Santa Cruz steel plant: 936,000 t of steel936kGerdau Cos…Aperam Timóteo steel plant: 900,000 t of steel900kAperam Tim…

Listed capacity (t of steel), Climate TRACE v6 (asset-level capacity & CO₂e, CC BY 4.0).

Operator

Operated by Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional SA.

Local climate

CSN Volta Redonda steel plant sits in a humid subtropical climate zone (Köppen Cfa), at 22.5°S in the southern hemisphere.

~18°Ctypical annual mean
~27°Ctypical warm-season
Humid subtropical: warm all year, with distinct wet and dry seasons

Köppen zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid).

Site climate & environmental severity

The local climate sets how fast unprotected steel, protective coatings and the insulation on hot process equipment degrade at this site. It sits in a corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

C4ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
38/100environmental-severity index
6.8°Cseasonal temperature swing
83 kmdistance to coast
HighCUI risk tier

In this site’s local climate, a bare 150 °C surface sheds about 1293 W/m² to ambient — roughly 0.99× the loss at a 20 °C reference; removable insulation recovers about 1228 W/m² of that. Reference-surface calculation at a 150 °C surface from WorldClim climate normals (ASTM C680 / ISO 12241) — an indicative per-climate comparison, not a measurement of this site’s specific equipment. Open method dataset: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.20787408 (CC BY 4.0).

Higher environmental severity is exactly where protective removable insulation pays back most: a sheltered micro-climate slows corrosion, UV and thermal-cycling damage and extends outdoor hardware service life. This is an indicative site-climate context — not a condition assessment of any specific plant or operator.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby sites

The #2 largest of 11 steel plants in Brazil by listed capacity (Climate TRACE).

Nearby industrial sites

Location

Coordinates -22.51217, -44.11244. View on OpenStreetMap.

Heat loss & insulation profile

For a steel plant, the main modular-insulation targets are reheat & annealing furnaces, ladles, hot-blast stoves, steam & gas ducting. Typical hot-surface ranges used for screening: 200–1,200 °C.

Indicative recoverable energy

A first-pass insulation screen suggests about 8,600 MWh/year of recoverable heat-loss reduction and about 2,900 t CO₂e/year of avoided emissions. Screening estimate scaled from installed process-heat projects and surface-temperature reduction data.

See Inzonex Modular Insulation → Run the calculator →

Screening calculation from facility class, capacity and open emissions/energy context. Engineering survey required before procurement.

Safety & the no-regret first step

Start with a thermal survey of valves, flanges, doors and bends. Removable modular insulation keeps maintenance access open while lowering exposed-surface temperature and wasted heat.

External climate finance your country can access

For energy-efficiency projects around process heat, likely external funding channels include:

CBAM. Exporters of cement, steel, aluminium, fertiliser, hydrogen and electricity to the EU face the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism — cutting embedded emissions (efficiency + insulation) lowers the levy.

Sources: country climate-finance facilities and public development-bank programmes.

Frequently asked questions

What type of facility is CSN Volta Redonda steel plant?

CSN Volta Redonda steel plant is a steel plant in Brazil. Steel plants burn coal in blast furnaces or use electric arcs to melt scrap; in both cases the molten metal must be kept above 1,500°C and transferred through extensive hot piping and vessels.

What capacity is listed for CSN Volta Redonda steel plant?

The open dataset lists 6,251,000 t of steel of capacity for CSN Volta Redonda steel plant.

How much CO₂ does CSN Volta Redonda steel plant emit?

The page uses about 7,646,497 t CO₂e/year from the open dataset It ranks #3 among facilities in Brazil by estimated CO₂.

Where is CSN Volta Redonda steel plant located?

CSN Volta Redonda steel plant is in Brazil at approximately -22.51217, -44.11244.

Who operates CSN Volta Redonda steel plant?

The operator recorded in the open dataset is Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional SA.

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