ABB and Tata Steel Collaborate to Explore Technologies Aim to Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Steel Manufacturing

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between ABB, a global technology leader, and Tata Steel Ltd. where they collaborate to co-create innovative models and technologies for reducing the carbon footprint of steel manufacturing. With the global expertise of ABB in process automation, instrumentation, and digitalization, the mining and metals industries shall enhance their production quality.

In accordance with the MoU, both companies will focus on system-level assessments of the manufacturing plants and production facilities of Tata Steel for evaluation and co-development of short-term and long-term options for energy efficiency, decarbonization, and circularity.

For upstreaming processes and energy reduction and substitution, ABB and Tata Steel will research to optimize energy via hydrogen as an alternative fuel option through fully integrated electrification and digital systems like ABB Ability eMine, e-Mobility solutions, and energy-efficient motors.

Tata Steel is a top global player in the steel industry with an annual crude steel capacity of 35 million tons per annum. Tata Steel stated its commitment to major sustainability targets including the achievement of carbon neutrality by 2045. Their medium-term goal is to reduce carbon emissions in its Indian operations to less than two tons of CO2 per ton of crude steel by 2025.

As the core philosophy of their corporate strategy, Tata Steel is dedicated to sustainable development and growth. To accomplish it, Tata Steel is acting on the deployment of key enablers for deep decarbonization along with the usage of more scrap in steel production, alternate fuels such as natural gas and green hydrogen, renewable energy, and the deployment of carbon capture and storage/utilization technologies. In collaboration with its technology partner ABB which proves to be a key enabler in achieving growth in a sustainable manner, the company expects to boost its capacity to 40 million tons by 2030.

Vipul Gautam, group vice president and Global Account Executive for Tata Group – ABB, said, “Steel companies know there are opportunities to improve their processes, and Tata Steel is one of the leaders in this movement toward energy efficiency and reduction of carbon footprint.” He also stated “According to the report from the World Economic Forum, the energy transition will require up to three billion tons of metals in the medium term; six times more mineral inputs in order to achieve global net-zero emissions in 2050. ABB is confident in its ability to collaborate with our customers and partners to modify the power used in steelmaking in order to support production and environmental goals.”

Conforming to various sources, including the International Energy Agency (IEA), the global steel giant accounts for between 7 and 9 percent of CO2 emissions from fossil fuels worldwide.

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