BHP, China Baowu and Monash University have partnered to create the Industry Knowledge Centre for Low Carbon Metallurgy, aiming to accelerate technology capable of reducing carbon emissions from steel production.
BHP will be the main funding partner of the centre, providing $12 million over three years.
China Baowu will provide in-kind support for the initial phase of the centre’s work such as plant-scale trials of potential carbon abatement technology. The centre will work closely with China Baowu’s Global Low-Carbon Metallurgical Innovation Alliance to identify project opportunities and promote results.
Monash University will act as the centre’s administrator through its existing Monash Suzhou Research Institute.
The Industry Knowledge Centre for Low Carbon Metallurgy is expected to to enable the real-world testing and assessment of carbon dioxide (CO2) abatement technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the blast furnace route for steel production.
It will facilitate 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.
Additionally, it will critically review funding applications from partner institutes in Australia, China and other countries and aims to promote sharing of research and trial outcomes.
BHP sales and marketing sustainability vice president Rod Dukino said the partnership is an important addition to its portfolio 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,” Dukino said.
“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.”