New Delhi, Oct 20 (PTI) It is “possible to bring down” carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the iron and steel sector “drastically by 2030” while tripling India’s output of steel, according to an analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
Greenhouse gas emissions will grow 2.5 times by 2030 as compared to 2020-21, based on the production and technologies used, the analysis done by the non-profit showed.
“As per emission targets set by the National Steel Policy 2017, a reduction of 12.5 per cent (82 million tonne) is possible from the business as usual (BAU) scenario. Based on voluntary targets by large steel companies, a reduction of 22.5 per cent (148 million tonne) from the BAU scenario can be aimed for,” the analysis said.
The new study by CSE has recommended a fuel change – in the use of natural-gas injection or hydrogen to reduce the use of coal, along with increasing the amount of recycled steel in production to its optimum of 30 per cent.
“The industry should implement carbon capture and utilization to bring down coal-based emissions. Switching to new fuels and technologies will require international finance. The government and steel industry should work towards a combined proposal for climate finance with touch targets for 2030,” the study said.
The CSE research said the coal-based technology (mostly in use in the small- and medium-scale sectors) is contributing almost 51 per cent of the total GHG emissions from the sector in India as of 2020-21.
“In the iron and steel sector, the manufacturing process determines the amount of CO2 an industrial unit will produce. Coal is key to the production of iron in a blast furnace, and well as for making steel through a basic oxygen furnace. This makes the sector hard to decarbonise as roughly half of India’s iron and steel is produced through this route,” the CSE research said.
Referring to the new assessment report on emissions footprints of India’s iron and steel sector and how it can be ‘decarbonised’, Director General of CSE Sunita Narai said, “We can emit even less than what we do today – but all this will need planning, technology and funds.” Narain pointed out that there is an “opportunity for financial infusion” for making low-carbon steel – predicting a significant role in international climate finance.
“The government should work on a package that involves a cleaner fuel like gas and improves the circularity of the recycled steel business by promoting optimum usage of steel scrap as a raw material,” she said. PTI ABU RDT
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.