Conservation Council of WA has been part of a coalition of unions, environment and industry to consider the emissions reduction opportunities in steel production by commissioning research to look at the potential of renewables and hydrogen for manufacturing steel.
Western Australia is a major exporter of both gas and iron ore to steel producing countries like Japan and South Korea. This report considers the emissions savings if we were to produce all of Australia's steel demand using renewables and hydrogen, and considers the emissions savings if were to also supply Japan and South Koreas steel demand, and then opportunities for supplying some of China's steel demand.
This plan does not come without environmental costs - but considers the framework needed to find that balance between decarbonising heavy industry and environmental protection, First Nations rights and benefit sharing.
