According to the World Steel Association (WSA) data for 2023, 71.1% of steel production was ore-based through the BF-BOF route (blast furnace and basic oxygen furnace) and 28.6% was scrap-based through the electric arc furnace (EAF), resulting in a 7-9% contribution from the steel industry to global CO2 emissions. A major contribution comes from coke and coal use in the blast furnace (BF), a minor part is related to the use of coal at the EAF. Carbon is essential in metallurgical processes, and the question is how fossil coals presently used can be replaced by biogenic renewable carbon (so-called biocarbon). Reported research implies that biomass converted to charcoal (biocarbon) with properties resembling those of fossil coal can replace fossil coals as long as the content of elements causing process disturbances or affecting the steel quality, i.e. alkalis and phosphorus, are low enough. Research shows that biocarbon can replace fossil coals in BF ironmaking i.e. replace injection coal at the BF, coke breeze at the sinter plant, being part of a self-reducing residue of briquettes, and replacing fossil coal in the coke. The optimum ratio for efficient self-reduction and requirements on coke strength limits the maximum addition. It may be theoretically possible to replace around half of the fossil coals depending on the prerequisites at the specific steel plant. Together with carbon capture technologies (CCS/CCU), negative CO2 emissions might be possible. However, a huge amount of biocarbon demand is a hinder to the implementation, and fossil coals for coke making will still be required. Presently, several steel producers in Europe and globally aim for fossil-free steelmaking through hydrogen (H2) based direct reduction to produce carbon free DRI (H2-DRI). H2-DRI are melted in and EAF, submerged arc furnace (SAF) or other type of furnace. To make the process route fossil-free, renewable sources of carbon must be used to reduce in H2-DRI remaining iron oxides, foam the slag and dissolve carbon in the steel during the smelting step. The required biocarbon quantities are reasonable as a major part of the energy input at the EAF is renewable electricity. The conversion to fossil-free steelmaking makes understanding the functionality of biocarbon in the EAF process even more important, especially the effect of biocarbon properties on its contribution to reduction, slag foaming, and carburization, as well as methods to produce biocarbon from biomass of various quality.