Tata Steel comes up with plan for green steel production

Tata Steel wants to emit at least 30 percent less greenhouse gases by 2030. The climate plan that the steel factory hands over to Milieudefensie on Monday states that the company wants to reduce emissions by 75 percent by 2035. In 2050, Tata wants to produce the steel completely CO2-neutral.

The company is currently responsible for 8 percent of Dutch greenhouse gas emissions. The steel company calculates that Tata Steel contributes with the climate plan to more than 5 percent of the intended reduction of CO2 emissions in the Netherlands. By 2030, the Netherlands wants to emit almost half the greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990.

In order to reduce emissions, Tata wants to switch from coal to hydrogen in steel production. This requires certain installations and electric ovens. This summer, technicians are working out these designs. Meanwhile, Tata applies for the necessary permits. The installations must be built between 2026 and 2028. Tata Steel wants to start using them in 2029. Then factories that still use coal can be phased out slowly, according to the climate plan, which Milieudefensie asked Tata Steel and 28 other companies for.

Tight deadlines

These are tight deadlines, a spokeswoman agrees, for which Tata Steel needs the help of the provincial and national government. “Consider, for example, the granting of permits for new, sustainable factories. Or the infrastructure that has to be designed around the factory.” The realization of the plan is also highly dependent on the price of hydrogen and the plan is not “economically feasible without government support”.

The company has already started working on the climate plan. “For example, we prepare the factories on our own site. We have also arranged a connection with TenneT to the high-voltage grid, says the spokeswoman. This gives Tata Steel wind energy close to where it is generated.

Tata Steel emphasizes in a letter to Milieudefensie that it would like to stay in touch with the organization about the “journey to green and clean steel production in the Netherlands”.