Page 13 - Steel Tech India eMagazine Volume January 2021

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Challenges of Steel Sector Decarbonisation

Madhulika Sharma, Saurabh Kundu, Sudhansu Pathak, Amit Kumar and Jaison Thomas
Tata Steel, Jamshedpur, INDIA

Abstract
Imbibing an underlying responsibility towards
planet Earth in our operations, ensuring the health
and safety of people at our workplaces, balancing
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for the community are the core values which are
deeply entrenched in Tata Steel’s DNA. As a
responsible corporate, Tata Steel supports the
UN Global Compact and strives to integrate its 10
principles in all facets of business. Climate change is
recognised globally as one of the key risks in the 21st
century. Tata Steel has undertaken many initiatives
in last decade to reduce our carbon intensity by more
than 25%. However, the deep decarbonisation of Fig: 1: Ref: IPCC Report
steel sector will require breakthrough technologies
and use of alternate fuel like hydrogen. The recently IPCC in its Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), 2014 has
launched IEA Steel Sector report outlines the used four Representative Concentration Pathways
challenges of the sector and outlines a roadmap (RCP) to depict the concentration trajectory of
for long term decarbonisation. This article will talk greenhouse gases in atmosphere and to model their
about the decarbonisation challenges of steel sector
which has been referenced from the IEA report and impact on climate change for end of this century, as
also touch upon Tata Steel’s initiatives for deep shown in Fig. 1.
decarbonisation. The commitments made in Paris Agreement in 2015
will undergo a test of credibility at COP26, scheduled in
INTRODUCTION November this year. While some countries have made
Studies claim that carbon dioxide concentration in their net neutrality commitments, the corresponding
atmosphere has increased in pre-industrial era from 280 actions in line with the ambitions are yet to be witnessed.
ppm to more than 400 ppm in Oct 2019. The average Recent reports claim that only India’s NDC is in line
temperature of earth has already increased by one for the 2-degree warming scenario amongst the G20
degree centigrade above pre-industrial level on account countries while most other countries are still on 2.5- or
of higher concentration of GHG (greenhouse gases) in 3-degree trajectory.
atmosphere. The impacts of climate change on society Steel: A Hard-to-abate Sector
and environment will largely depend on humankind
response through technology, lifestyle, economy and The iron and steel sector is highly energy intensive
policy. Since these responses are uncertain, future industry, with coal accounting for about 75% of its energy
scenarios are used to explore the consequences of inputs today. In 2019, the sector’s consumption of coal
different options. stood at around 900 million tonnes of coal equivalent.

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