A Vedanta group company has announced it is working on a solution to utilize hydrogen instead of coke in its production process to minimize carbon emissions as part of its ambition to transition to “green steel.”
Sesa Goa Iron Ore Business of Vedanta stated it is looking for a partnership with IIT-Bombay to do research on producing pig iron ore without the use of coke. The approach aims to reduce carbon emissions throughout the manufacturing process and will aid in the creation of green steel (an outcome of a climate-friendly process).
“We have our own concept of green steel,” said the group. So, very soon, my coke ovens will become green coke, with all of the coke being made using a green method, extracting, harnessing… and it will just float over the grid. In an interview with PTI, Sujal Shah, Deputy CEO of Vedanta’s Sesa Goa Iron Ore Business, said, “I would not seek power from the grid, rather I would contribute power to the grid.”
The declaration is noteworthy in light of Vedanta’s prior commitment to decrease carbon emissions to zero by 2050 or sooner, as well as a pledge of USD 5 billion over the following ten years to speed the transition to net-zero operations.
Shah claims that green coke will become a reality soon and that the firm is on schedule to transition to green steel.
“I’m also looking at collaborating with IIT-Bombay on research on hydrogen’s usage in steel manufacturing.” That notion is still in its infancy. There are no precedents anywhere in the globe. So I’m collaborating with academics to figure out how to include hydrogen into our steel manufacturing, which would reduce our carbon footprint,” Shah stated.
Steel has a huge environmental effect since its manufacturing process is one of the most energy-intensive and CO2-emitting industrial processes on the planet. The process of making steel begins with the transformation of iron ore into pig iron (by casting and solidifying molten iron).
Vedenta, according to Shah, is committed to decreasing its carbon impact in a “very substantial way” and is working relentlessly in this regard.
He also mentioned that the organization is working on a pilot project for carbon capture, use, and storage.
According to the firm, it follows the triple bottom line of ‘people, planet, and prosperity to build a sustainable future for the communities in a ‘zero damage, zero waste, and zero discharge’ environment.
