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On Track for Green Steelmaking

Reducing CO2 emissions is the name of the game in steelmaking, and hydrogen has a key role to play.

IT is widely acknowledged that mankind must limit atmospheric temperature rise. Carbon dioxide (CO2) has been identified by environmental experts as an important contributing element in climate-change science, and that its emissions must be reduced dramatically. The steel industry is known to be a major CO2 emitter. This is not a news flash. The worldwide steel industry is among the largest contributors to atmospheric CO2, emitting nearly three billion tons of it at a level of about 7% to 8% of total CO2 emissions.

Yet, positively, iron and steel production is also among the most promising opportunities for measured and impactful decarbonization, and steelmaking is a viable place to start. Why? Because the industry is of strategic national importance and awareness in all countries, there are identified and actionable solutions to reduce CO2 emissions, there are technologies identified to accomplish this, and the governments are major end users. Governments can encourage CO2 reduction for iron and steel using the techniques of levying taxes, fees, subsidies, and laws.