JSW Steel, India's leading private sector steel company, has taken a significant step towards achieving sustainability by collaborating with Carbon Clean, a provider of carbon capture solutions, and BHP, a leading global resources company. This partnership aims to accelerate the deployment of carbon capture technology for steelmaking decarbonisation, marking a pivotal moment in the industry.

Under the terms of the joint study agreement, the parties will initiate extensive studies to explore the feasibility of Carbon Clean’s CycloneCC modular technology. This innovative solution aims to capture up to 100,000 tonnes per year of CO2 emissions, representing the largest scale of CycloneCC deployment to date within the steelmaking sector. As the second-largest producers of steel globally, Indian steel manufacturers have the potential to double their production by 2030, playing a crucial role in achieving India’s ambitious target of net zero emissions by 2070.

With many blast furnaces set to operate for decades to come, the need for long-term near-zero decarbonisation routes is essential. Carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) technology is anticipated to be a critical solution in reducing CO2 emissions intensity across various hard-to-abate industrial sectors. However, the adoption of carbon capture technology in steelmaking faces challenges, including significant capital expenditure and operational costs, as well as integrating new equipment into existing operations that may have space constraints.

The CycloneCC technology, which incorporates a rotating packed bed (RPB) system combined with Carbon Clean’s proprietary APBS-CDRMax solvent, seeks to address these challenges. It aims to reduce total installed costs and the equipment footprint by up to 50%, with devices that are ten times smaller than conventional carbon capture technologies. This innovative approach could pave the way for significant advancements in carbon capture technology within the steel industry.

The joint studies are anticipated to be completed by 2026. Following this, the parties will consider installing the CycloneCC technology at JSW Steel’s Vijayanagar site in Karnataka, India. A crucial aspect of the project is the utilisation of captured CO2, which is integral to the concept of CCUS. If the project proves successful, JSW Steel plans to liquefy the captured CO2 for local sale, thus creating a sustainable revenue stream from emissions that would otherwise contribute to global warming.

BHP’s Chief Commercial Officer, Rag Udd, emphasized the importance of exploring multiple pathways for steel decarbonisation, including the integration of hydrogen and renewable energy sources. He acknowledged that the blast furnace route will remain a viable option for steel production in India and stressed the importance of developing key abatement technologies like CCUS to support this transition. Partnerships and collaboration are vital in accelerating the deployment of such technologies, and BHP is pleased to work with JSW Steel and Carbon Clean on this pivotal challenge.

Jayant Acharya, Joint Managing Director and CEO of JSW Steel, reiterated the company's commitment to sustainability, highlighting that they have already achieved a 30% reduction in carbon emissions intensity compared to their 2005 baseline. JSW Steel aims to lower their steelmaking intensity to 1.95 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of steel by 2030 and to reach net-neutral carbon emissions by 2050. This commitment to decarbonisation has earned the company recognition from prominent industry bodies, including the title of "World Steel Sustainability Champion" for six consecutive years and accolades at COP28 for their “SEED” decarbonisation initiative.

Aniruddha Sharma, Chair and CEO of Carbon Clean, expressed the immense potential of carbon capture technology in decarbonising the steel industry. He noted that first-of-a-kind projects are essential for advancing technical innovation and providing valuable insights that can benefit the entire steel sector and other hard-to-abate industries. The aim is for this technology to be fully commercialised and rolled out at scale, with decarbonisation pioneers playing a crucial role in accelerating this progress.

As the Indian steel industry embarks on this transformative journey, the collaboration between JSW Steel, Carbon Clean, and BHP signifies a critical advancement towards achieving a sustainable and low-carbon future in steelmaking. The commitment to harnessing innovative technologies and forming strategic partnerships will be instrumental in addressing the challenges of climate change while supporting the industry's growth.

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