News Room - Steel Industry

Posted on 14 May 2024

CISA official talks about key progress in steel sector's low-carbon transition

The ultimate solution for China's steel industry as a key to the country reaching its 2C goals, namely carbon emission peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060, lies in the innovation, breakthrough, and promotion of low-carbon metallurgical technologies, according to Li Yu, deputy director of the science and environment department of China Iron and Steel Association. He made these remarks during the Singapore International Ferrous Week 2024 over May 6-10.

Currently, China and other key steel-producing countries around the world are carrying out research on eight key technologies, including oxygen rich/full hydrogen gas-based DRI technology, hydrogen rich carbon recycling blast furnace technology, hydrogen-based smelting reduction technology, near-zero carbon emissions technology for electric-arc-furnace steelmaking, near-net shape manufacturing technology, high scrap ratio and high efficiency converter technology, technology on sensible heat recovery and efficient recycling of metallurgical slag, and CO2 capture and realization technology, Li noted. 

"There are more than 20 Chinese steel enterprises that are developing and pushing forward nearly 60 low-carbon projects utilizing the (abovementioned) technologies," Li said. 

Another key progress in the low-carbon transition of China's steel industry is the rapid development of environmental product declaration (EPD) platform for the sector, Li added. 

China officially launched an EPD platform for the steel industry on May 19 2022, serving as the first EPD platform in the domestic industrial sector. In just two years, the EPD platform has attracted more than 3,800 registered users and has published nine product category rules covering the whole steel industry chain, Li noted. 

Moreover, a total of 115 EPD reports on major steel products including reinforcing bar, hot/cold-rolled coil, and steel sections have been issued so far by Chinese steel conglomerates like Baowu, Ansteel, Shagang, Shougang and Baogang, among others. 

"And we're also pushing forward mutual recognition agreements with other countries' EPD programs and carbon footprint reports under the general rules of ISO and the framework of the World Steel Association to speed up the Chinese steel industry's green and low-carbon transformation," Li said.

Source:Mysteel Global