Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister of Steel and Civil Aviation, urged the Indian steel industry to transition to green and low-carbon production processes. Speaking at the launch of Kalyani Group’s first green steel brand, ‘Kalyani FeRRESTA,’ in New Delhi, the minister emphasised steel’s growing role as a foundational force for a nation’s development.

Minister Scindia went on to say that India, as the world’s fifth largest economy and second largest producer of steel, must also become a responsible and sustainable producer of steel. Talking about the enhanced consumption and production capacities of the nation, the minister said that, “We have ambitious expansion plans of doubling our production capacity by 2030 from the current level of 154 MT to 300 MT, as also envisaged in the National Steel Policy 2017.” As a result, he believes that there is a need to strike a balance between the steel industry’s ambitious capacity enhancement targets and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.

He also stated that the government has resolved to reduce carbon emissions by 2030 through strategic policy interventions and to strengthen the country’s commitment to producing green steel. According to him, the government and other stakeholders must collaborate to decarbonise the industry by increasing the use of renewable energy, efficient raw materials such as scrap and pellets, the best available technologies, and green hydrogen. He added that the industry must work together to transition from the fossil fuel intensive BF-BOF (Blast Furnace – Basic Oxygen Furnace) route and coal-based DRI-EAF/IF (Direct Reduced Iron-Electric Arc Furnace/Induction Furnace) to a gas-based DRI-EAF.

The Minister also mentioned mandating that the nation’s steel producers dedicate a percentage of their production to making green steel, as well as ensuring greater usage and promotion of the same in government projects. Speaking about the initiative by the Kalyani Group, the minister said that,  “Initiatives like the one taken by the Kalyani Group will help transform the steel sector’s long-standing identity as a carbon emitting “hard to abate sector”, to a reduced carbon emitting-green steel -producing industry.”