On June 18, China Metal Society and World Steel Development Research Institute jointly held the Steel Industry Low Carbon Development and Hydrogen Metallurgy Application Technology Forum in Beijing. From overseas and domestic related fields, academicians, experts, industrial associations and enterprise representatives were invited to attend the event with a title of Low Carbon & Green, A sustainable Future of Steel Industry. The representatives discussed the road map of low carbon development of the industry and the importance of hydrogen and hydrogen metallurgy technologies in order to achieve the carbon peaking and carbon neutralization. Chairman of the World Steel Association, President of the World Steel Development Research Institute,Party Secretary and Chairman of HBIS Group Yu Yong, China Iron & Steel Association CCP Chairman & Executive President He Wenbo, University of Science & Technology Beijing, President Yang Renshu made their speeches. Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Yin Ruiyu and Mao Xinping made their presentations and World Steel Association Director General Edwin Basson made a video presentation. China Metal Society Deputy Chairman Zhao Pei hosted the opening ceremony and Director of Expert Committee Wang Tianyi, HBIS Vice President Wang Xindong and Li Yiren also attended the forum. 

In his speech, Yu Yong pointed out Carbon Peaking and Neutralization was becoming the main stream of industries development in the globe and an extensive reform of traditional steel industry was a must. To break through the traditional concepts, the industry needs innovations in energy structure, process structure and material technologies to originally and fundamentally find out solutions to bottlenecks in green and low carbon development. Hydrogen energy is the most potential and clean energy in 21st century and the best solution to low carbon emission, even zero emission, of steel industry. Especially the innovations and application of hydrogen metallurgy technologies could bring revolutions to the steel industry to get rid of its absolute reliance on fossil fuel to work out the problem of carbon emission from the source.

Yu Yong said, as one of the largest steel manufacturers and comprehensive service suppliers, HBIS has been keeping the concept of Ecology First & Green Development and making fruits in energy saving & Green Development. HBIS becomes the model to firstly implement green transformation in steel industries in our country. HBIS is now actively exploring a green & low carbon road map that adapts to requirement of ecological civilization and manufacturing power strategy. HBIS is actively implementing six measures: propelling the whole procedural emission reduction, constructing a diversified energy system, offering green & low carbon steel materials, building low carbon & recycled economy industry chain, accelerating low carbon technology R&D and advocating all-member low carbon production and life. The six measures will facilitate the process of low carbon research and transformation and contribute HBIS solutions to Carbon Peaking and Neutralization in steel industry. 

 “The progress of human civilization and the social and economic development cannot go away with steel. Green, low-carbon steel will make a better world”,said Yu Yong . For the purpose of exploring low-carbon developing approaches for steel industry, and fostering sustainable development of steel industry, this forum provided a worldwide,professional,and high-level academic exchange platform.I hope the academicians, experts, sector associations, universities,and scientific research institutes that attended this forum will work together , to find creative theory, techniques, and solutions to decrease carbon emission and carbon footprint under current situation. Reducing carbon emission and carbon footprint is a systematic project and requires long and arduous effort. We have to not only tackle issues related to such as innovation，economy, sustainable development, but more important than that, how we will act and what attitude we hold for being involved in this global-wide campaign. By doing so we will accelerate the low carbon transformation for the steel industry all around the world, contribute China’s unique plan for steady, sustainable green development to the world, and help our nation to realize the strategic target of “carbon peaking, carbon neutrality”as scheduled.

 “Climate change has posed a critical threat that deeply impacts humankind’s survival and living. Worldwide joint effort are required to address this crisis”said He Wenbo in the speech.That is why the steel industry in both China and the rest of the world are taking action for proactive solution. This summit was held today for discussion of hydrogen metallurgy technology. I believe,with our joint effort, our goals for lower-carbon development of steel industry will become clearer and clearer. Our ways will be much closer in our sight, and we will move faster and faster.

Every giant progress of steel industry came with a significant revolution of metallurgical technology.Best effort for developing lower-carbon  metallurgical technology has been considered as the most important development goal and the common research objective for the global steel industry. unremitting effort and persistent investment have been made in this subject by every country in the world that produces steel. Focusing on the target of low-carbon or zero-carbon, we propose simultaneous joint actions be taken by some powerful enterprises, which is wise and rational. Worldwide cooperation among all the steel sectors is indispensable factor for achieving ground-breaking technological revolution in steel industry.

As He Wenbo stated, science and technology is the first productive force.It is crucial element to make China strong enough to lead the steel industry in the world. Science and technology is significantly important to help for China to rank in the forefront of low-carbon metallurgical technology on the global. With the support of the guidance of new development concept and innovation force on technology, the future of the China’s steel industry will be very bright. At the historical crossing point of our nation’s“two centenary goals”, and the time of 100th anniversary of the foundation of Chinese Communist Party, we need to unite our power, work together and maintain vitality, pay untiring effort to make steel industry of China to take a leading position in the world.

Under the situation of “carbon peak, carbon neutrality”, traditional melting technique based on the carbon metallurgy will not meet the requirement of on-developing trend, said Yang Ren Shu. The China’s steel industry is facing a significant challenge. To develop new techniques for low-carbon development,realize transformation of lower-carbon and environment protection, It is the goal commonly accepted by all the people in steel industry that will to lead to harmonious coexistence among human, society, and the cities. This forum will help to improve the exchange and integration in our steel industry, and further to boost the low-carbon development of the steel industry throughout the world.

Yang Renshu stated that University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB) bears as its responsibility for catering to needs of nation strategy and industry steel and try best to promote capability of original innovation, keeping accomplishing core technology. Open to the world, USTB holds its primacy of “the first higher institute of steel industry in China”. USTB spares on effort to pay contribution of “wit of USTB”to the development of low-carbon metallurgical development and the application of hydrogen metallurgy. USTB in collaboration with people in steel industry will create a new situation and open a new chapter for steel industry in China.

In the witness of Yu Yong, He Wenbo, Yang Renshu, Yin Rui yu, Mao Xinping, Wang Tianyi, and some others, the first publishment ceremony was held for the book“Operation of Carbon Flow in production of steel & solutions for Reducing Carbon Emission”,released by Metallurgical Industry Press.

On the forum, based on the theme of “research on “carbon peak, carbon neutrality” in steel industry and implementation methods”, Yin Ruiyu delivered his report with aspects including timing nods of carbon peak, limitation on total steel production volume,joint effort of the entire society to realize carbon neutralization,and key elements for China’s steel industry to achieve carbon neutralization. Themed with “opportunity and challenge -- China’Steel Industry under carbon neutrality”, Mao Xinping delivered his report, which describe the development history of steel industry in China, the current situation of carbon emission, the opportunity and challenge for the steel industry under the background of “carbon peak, carbon neutrality”.Mao Xinping raised in his report the proposals for steel industry to achieve carbon neutralization and key related technologies that we should focus on.Edwin Basson gave his video presentation on the topic of“An approach to the low-carbon development for steel industry”.He introduced the World Steel Association’s contribution to the low-carbon development in steel industry.In this presentation, Edwin Basson described the feature of three phases of low-carbon development, including usage of raw material and efficiency of steel production, effective reuse of wasted steel in all the countries and regions (including China),more and more application of ground-breaking technologies. Edwin Basson also described the China’s influence on the low-carbon development in the steel industry throughout the world. Other experts and scholars from Qinghua University, Beijing University, University of Science and Technology Beijing,Northeastern University,HBIS Group,POSCO Group,China Baowu,Danieli Metallurgical Equipment & Service (China),Tenova Tech, Midre(Shang Hai),Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics,Chinese Academy of Science(DICP), Shanghai Hanxing Energy,delivered their respective reports with the themes such as low-carbon metallurgical technology,usage of hydrogen energy,and so on.

It was reported that the World Steel Development Institute was co-founded by HBIS Group and University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB), under the instruction of the World Steel Association. The institute is dedicated to build an industrial ecosystem with harmonious co-existence including steel, human society,and natural environment.Based on the relationship of global steel industry and global economy, steel industry and sustainable development, future steel industry and urban ecology, the institute will make research on the common developing law,and explore the common problems and growing patterns of development of steel industry in the future.

More than 100 representatives of experts, scholars, researchers and journalists from oversea and domestic steel industries, green low carbon technology equipment related enterprises attended the forum and over 30,000 audience watched the online live stream.