Discover the challenges and technologies involved in decarbonizing heavy industries like steel, cement, and chemicals. Explore strategies for reducing carbon emissions in cement production, including carbon capture and electrification of kilns. Learn about the limitations of carbon capture in hard-to-abate sectors and the importance of policy support in achieving zero-carbon industrial practices.
Industrial decarbonization focuses on key sectors like steel and cement, adopting cleaner technologies for zero-carbon production.
Effective policy support, including carbon pricing and trade-related measures, is crucial for accelerating industrial decarbonization efforts.
Deep dives
Decarbonizing the Industrial Sector
Decarbonizing the industrial sector is crucial as it is responsible for one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, with the focus on industries like iron, steel, chemicals, cement, and concrete being key. A new book, 'Zero Carbon Industry' by Jeffrey Rissmann, outlines a roadmap aiming to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions by 2050-2070. Technologies such as energy efficiency, material efficiency, electrification, and hydrogen offer solutions to cut emissions, different from power and transportation that are shifting to renewables. Uncertainty remains in reducing emissions from manufacturing materials, but clear pathways are being explored.
Steelmaking Challenges and Innovations
Steelmaking, particularly primary steel produced from iron ore, faces emission challenges due to fossil fuel combustion, primarily utilizing blast furnaces. Transitioning to cleaner methods like direct reduced iron furnaces powered by natural gas or hydrogen offers promising pathways for zero-carbon steel production. Advanced technologies demonstrated in Sweden and being developed in the U.S., focus on using cleaner energy sources and capturing CO2 emissions, signaling a move towards sustainable steelmaking practices.
Revolutionizing Cement and Concrete Production
Cement and concrete production, integral to infrastructure, poses significant emission challenges given its reliance on high heat cement kilns producing substantial CO2 emissions. Strategies to decarbonize cement making include adopting electrical technologies for heating, using alternative minerals in place of limestone, and implementing carbon capture to reduce emissions and even absorb carbon over time. These innovations aim to transform cement and concrete production into climate-friendly practices.
Policy Support for Industrial Decarbonization
Effective policy support plays a pivotal role in accelerating the decarbonization of the industrial sector. Initiatives varying from R&D funding and green public procurement programs to carbon pricing mechanisms are essential for promoting clean technologies at different stages of maturity. Carbon pricing, for instance, serves as a late-stage driver for technology adoption by ensuring economic viability and competitive costs for clean industrial alternatives. Trade-related policies like carbon border adjustments also play a crucial role in enhancing global industrial decarbonization efforts.
Industry accounts for one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, a share that will only increase in the coming years.
Other high-emission sectors, like electric power and transportation, are cutting emissions through renewables and electrification. But the pathways to reducing emissions from manufacturing materials such as iron, steel, chemicals, cement, and concrete are still unclear.
So, what are some of the pathways for reducing manufacturing emissions? And how can policy support decarbonization?
This week host Bill Loveless talks with Jeffrey about his book and its look at the workings of heavy industrial polluters and the ways to affordably decarbonize manufacturing.
Jeffrey is the senior director of the industry program at Energy Innovation, a nonpartisan energy and climate policy firm, where he leads the company’s work on technologies and policies to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from the industry sector.
Zero-Carbon Industry is part of the Center on Global Energy Policy’s book series, and is published by Columbia University Press.
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