About Green steel

• Green steel refers to steel produced using environmentally friendly and sustainable methods. 
• The goal of green steel is to make the production of steel more environmentally friendly and reduce its impact on the climate. 
• This can be achieved through various means, such as reducing the use of carbon-based reducing agents and fuels in pelletising, moving from blast furnace process route to electric arc furnaces fed with steel scrap and direct reduced iron and powered by renewable energy, converting from fossil-based fuels to hydrogen or electricity in downstream processing.
• The concept of green steel is part of a larger movement towards a more sustainable and eco-friendly industrial production process.

Indian Efforts

• The Ministry of Steel is committed to Net-Zero target by 2070. Towards this, in short term (FY 2030), reduction of carbon emissions in steel industry through promotion of energy and resource efficiency as well as renewable energy is being focused. 
• For the medium term (2030-2047), utilisation of Green Hydrogen and Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage are the focus areas. 
• For the long term (2047-2070), disruptive alternative technological innovations can help achieve the transition to net-zero. For this purpose, Ministry of Steel is continuously engaging with various stakeholders.

Steps taken for promoting decarbonization in steel industry include:-

• Steel Scrap Recycling Policy, 2019 enhances the availability of domestically generated scrap to reduce the consumption of coal in steel making.
• Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has announced National Green Hydrogen Mission for green hydrogen production and usage. The steel sector has also been made a stakeholder in the Mission.
• Motor Vehicles (Registration and Functions of Vehicles Scrapping Facility) Rules September 2021, shall increase availability of scrap in the steel sector.
• National Solar Mission launched by MNRE in January 2010 promotes the use of solar energy and also helps reduce the emission of steel industry.
• Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme, under National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency, incentivizes steel industry to reduce energy consumption.
• The steel sector has adopted the Best Available Technologies (BAT) available globally, in the modernization & expansions projects.
• Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) Model Projects for Energy Efficiency Improvement have been implemented in steel plants.