Set on achieving its targeted 45 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, India is seeking to partner with Japanese institutions to re-engineer its steel plants
According to an internal note from the steel ministry, India's steel industry is eyeing collaboration with Japan to tackle carbon emissions in steel-making. The ministry is considering mechanisms for implementing specific technologies with project funding from Japanese institutions.
One of the ongoing decarbonisation projects aims to use green hydrogen as an alternative fuel to partially replace coal. The second project focuses on developing new coke-making technologies that use less coking coal and demonstrate higher oven productivity.
In the steel sector, India's carbon emissions rank among the highest globally due to the use of raw materials like iron ore and coal instead of scrap or alternatives.
The steel ministry is contemplating partnerships with Japanese institutions to introduce cleaner technologies to address this. The note highlights the importance of reducing carbon dioxide emissions from blast furnaces, which currently stand at 2.2–2.7 tonnes per tonne of crude steel produced (T/TCS), higher than the global average of 1.8–2 T/TCS.
The ministry's internal note outlines two projects under consideration. The first, known as 'COURSE 50,' aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from blast furnaces by 30 percent by partially replacing coke with hydrogen. The second project, 'SCOPE 21,' involves a high-end coke-making process that enables large amounts of non-coking coal for increased plant productivity.
The World Steel Association suggests that carbon capture, use, and storage (CCUS) technologies can be retrofitted into existing systems to cut carbon emissions, projected to reach 8 billion tonnes by 2050.
Notably, India aims to cut carbon emissions by 45 percent by 2030, 70 percent by 2047, and 100 percent by 2070. Plans include introducing 1,500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy by 2030, focusing on replacing thermal power usage with renewable energy in the steel industry.
These initiatives align with India's commitment to sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint. As the steel industry explores innovative technologies and collaborations, it seeks to usher in a new era of cleaner, more efficient steel production.