According to Jyotiraditya Scindia, Steel Minister of India, the Government of India may mandate the use of “green steel” in government projects. This is in the interest of decarbonizing one of India’s most difficult-to-abate sector.
Low-carbon or green steel is steel that has been made without fossil fuels.
The government has launched a series of initiatives to reduce carbon emissions in steel production and make it net zero by 2070.
The government has already promoted the use of renewable energy in short-term measures to reduce carbon emissions in the steel sector.
Scindia said emissions from the steel industry have been brought down by 15% between 2005 and 2022 and Centre targets an additional 10% reduction in emissions by 2030. Energy consumption per tonne of steel produced has also come down as well as emission intensity in terms of CO2, he added.
Responding to a question from NCP MP Vandana Chavan on carbon emissions in the steel sector, the minister said the government has put into place a short-term plan, as well as medium and long-term targets to deal with the issue.
The short-term plan focuses on reducing carbon emissions by energy efficiency and resource efficiency in renewable energies. The medium-term plan (2030 to 47) focuses on Carbon Capture Utilization, Storage and possibly Green Hydrogen. The long-term plan (2047-71) focuses on a complete shift from coal-based and ore-based systems to more technological innovations in order to get to net zero,” Scindia explained to the Rajya Sabha.
