Green steel
Topic: Manufacturing Industries of India: Location and Distribution · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Green steel is steel made with low greenhouse-gas emissions. Normal steel uses coking coal in a blast furnace, which releases a lot of carbon dioxide. Green steel uses hydrogen or renewable power instead. It is often made by two methods:
- Direct reduced iron (DRI): iron ore is turned into iron without melting it.
- Electric arc furnace: iron or scrap is melted with electricity.
Green steel matters because it cuts emissions. It also reduces India's dependence on imported coking coal, which is the steel industry's weak spot.
Example
In December 2024, India issued a Green Steel Taxonomy. It grades steel by how much emission is released per tonne made. The issue is linked to the European Union's carbon border tax (CBAM), which affects Indian steel exports.
Don't confuse with
- Blended cement: this cuts waste by mixing fly ash and slag into cement. Green steel is about how steel itself is made.