The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): The Ministry of Steel took a significant step towards promoting sustainable practices in the steel industry by organizing a National Workshop on “Forging Sustainability in the Steel Sector” at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The workshop aimed to engage stakeholders in addressing the critical issues faced by the steel sector, focusing on sustainable practices, emerging technologies, and tools to mitigate challenges.
Shri Nagendra Nath Sinha, Secretary of the Ministry of Steel, addressed the inaugural session and highlighted the importance of the steel industry in reducing emissions and promoting sustainability as trustees of the Earth. He emphasized the need for the industry to take proactive steps towards sustainability, considering that 90% of emissions in steelmaking come from within the factory gates (Scope 1).
Shri Sinha pointed out that India’s per ton crude steel emission is 25% higher than the global average, attributed to factors such as lack of natural gas, the quality of available iron ore, and limited availability of scrap. To address these challenges, the Ministry of Steel has formed 14 task forces to tackle various aspects of sustainability, including enhancing energy efficiency, utilizing renewable energy sources, and preparing inputs to reduce emissions.
The Ministry is also exploring the use of green hydrogen and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies to reduce the carbon footprint of the steel industry. Efforts are underway to reduce water consumption in steelmaking, as India’s water consumption levels are higher compared to other countries.
Shri Sinha unveiled the Marginal Abatement Cost of Carbon (MACC) tool at the workshop, which will aid companies in measuring and prioritizing carbon emission reduction technologies. The tool will enable the prioritization of different emission-reducing technologies, processes, and choices, emphasizing the importance of collecting high-quality emission data specific to individual processes and installations.
The Secretary urged all stakeholders to collaborate and adopt the best available technologies, highlighting the Ministry’s work on green hydrogen-based Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) making. Although currently expensive, this technology holds promise for a sustainable future if developed and adopted collectively.
Ms. Leena Nandan, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), emphasized India’s ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for 2030, aiming to source 50% of energy from non-fossil fuels and reduce the emission intensity of the economy by 45%. She called for transforming ideas into actionable collaborations and stressed the importance of circular economy practices, such as the use of recycled steel supported by the Vehicle Scrapping Policy.
The workshop also discussed leveraging Marginal Abatement Cost Curves (MACC) and disruptive technologies in the steel sector, emphasizing energy efficiency, carbon markets, and AI-based monitoring of emissions.
The National Workshop on “Forging Sustainability in the Steel Sector” marks a crucial step towards driving sustainable practices in the steel industry. With the Ministry of Steel’s guidance and the industry’s proactive efforts, the steel sector can work towards reducing emissions, promoting sustainability, and contributing to India’s commitments to combat climate change. By adopting green technologies, collaborating with stakeholders, and embracing circular economy practices, the steel industry can forge a sustainable future and become a responsible trustee of the Earth.