A collaboration between BHP, China Baowu and Monash University will see the formation of an Industry Knowledge Centre, aiming to use new technologies to reduce CO² emissions from steel production.
BHP will be the main funding partner for the Industry Knowledge Centre, providing US$8 million over the course of three years, whilst China Baowu will provide in-kind support for the initial phase of work, including the piloting and plant-scale trials of potential carbon abatement technology.
The responsibilities of the Industry Knowledge Centre include:
- Enabling real-world testing and assessment of CO² abatement technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the blast furnace route for steel production
- Facilitating the assessment of several different potential CO² abatement options, including recycling of process gas, injection of low-carbon hydrogen and other low-carbon fuels, use of renewable energy sources and application of carbon capture and utilisation technology in the context of China’s integrated steel plants
- Critically reviewing funding applications from partner institutes in Australia, China and beyond, and aims to promote sharing of research and trial outcomes
- Bringing academic and industry partners together to support successful demonstrations and subsequent commercialisation of potential technologies capable of reducing CO² emissions from the blast furnace route for steel production.
The program will work closely with China Baowu’s Global Low-Carbon Metallurgical Innovation Alliance to identify project opportunities and promote results.
BHP Sales and Marketing Sustainability’s Vice President, Dr. Rod Dukino, outlined the importance of the program and said, “This is an important addition to our portfolio mix of research and industry partnerships aimed at developing technologies capable of reducing CO² emissions from steel production.
“China Baowu is a world leading steelmaker, and these projects are important milestones following on from our joint MoU in 2020 and preliminary studies.
The Industry Knowledge Centre will help link academia and industry partners in China and Australia to share knowledge, develop talent and support the pilot and plant-scale testing of potential technologies for reducing CO² emissions from blast furnace steel production.”
Monash University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Aibing Yu, said Monash is pleased to bridge BHP and China Baowu to tackle climate change – a global challenge problem.
“The Industry Knowledge Centre will play an important role in promoting the collaboration between academia and industry and the relationship between Australia and China.”
Featured image: Representatives from BHP, China Baowu and Monash University. Image credit: BHP.
