"The transition to green and low-carbon practices is the strategic battleground for future competition in the steel industry," Jiang Wei, Vice Chairman, and Secretary General of the China Iron and Steel Association, emphasized at the Carbon Neutrality Frontiers 2024 Conference on November 28. "This is not just a significant task for our sector, it's a comprehensive, end-to-end, and industry-spanning systemic project. By pooling our collective wisdom and strength, I am confident that Chinese steel will emerge as a vital contributor to achieving carbon neutrality."

Jiang Wei shared that, based on preliminary estimates, at least 22 companies and research institutions, including Baowu and HBIS, are actively engaged in 60 cutting-edge low-carbon technology development projects focused on hydrogen-based reduction, hydrogen-rich carbon cycle blast furnaces, net-zero carbon emission large volume electric furnaces, near-final shape manufacturing, and CCUS. Of these, 16 have already yielded significant milestones, laying a solid foundation for China's leadership in global low-carbon technology and earning high praise from the international community. As He Wenbo, the Executive Chairman of the China Iron and Steel Association, stated at the 2024 Global Low-Carbon Metallurgy Innovation Forum, "Chinese steel is not just aspiring to be a driver of global steel technology progress and a contributor to green transformation; it is becoming a reality."

Since 2021, to expedite the steel industry's "dual carbon" goals, CISA has undertaken a series of effective initiatives, Jiang Wei explained. These include the establishment of a Low-Carbon Work Promotion Committee, the development and continuous refinement of the "Steel Industry Carbon Neutrality Vision and Low-Carbon Technology Roadmap," the implementation of the "World-Leading Low-Carbon Eight Common Technology Development Support Plan," and active efforts to secure substantial national support for these projects. The association has also spearheaded the "Ultimate Energy Efficiency Project" across the industry and established a comprehensive EPD platform for the steel industry, which has seen 5,518 user registrations, 41,841 EPD report downloads, and the release of 167 EPD reports, making it the most up-to-date and data-rich platform of its kind globally. Additionally, the association has researched and published standards for low-carbon emission steel.

--SteelHome