BHP, China Baowu, and Monash University have formed an Industry Knowledge Centre to accelerate the deployment of technologies capable of reducing CO2 emissions from steel production through scientific research, pilots, and plant-scale trials.
BHP will be the Industry Knowledge Centre’s main funding partner, allocating US $8 million over three years, while China Baowu will give in-kind assistance for the initial phase of the development, which will include piloting and plant-scale trials of prospective carbon abatement technology. Monash University has been designated as the administrator through its existing Monash Suzhou Research Institute and will manage the Industry Knowledge Centre’s virtual cooperation from its Australia and China campuses.
A management committee comprised of BHP, China Baowu, and Monash University representatives will examine proposals and provide funds to applicants from a network of partner institutes.
The Industry Knowledge Centre is tasked with the following:
- Real-world testing and evaluation of CO2 abatement technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the blast furnace route of steel production.
- Facilitating the evaluation of various potential CO2 abatement options, such as process gas recycling, 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.
- Review grant proposals from partner institutes in Australia, China, and beyond to encourage the exchange of research and trial results.
- Bringing together academic and industrial partners to assist successful demonstrations and subsequent commercialisation of new technologies capable of lowering CO2 emissions from the blast furnace route for steel production. The program will collaborate closely with China Baowu’s Global Low-Carbon Metallurgical Innovation Alliance to discover project prospects and promote outcomes.
“This is an important addition to our portfolio mix 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,” BHP Sales & Marketing Sustainability Vice President Dr Rod Dukino said, “This is an important addition to our portfolio mix 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.”
“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,” Dr Dukino added.
The announcement followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2020 between BHP and China Baowu, which led to exploratory studies with significant research and development (R&D) institutes in 2022. These studies included a carbon capture, utilisation, and storage development plan for the Chinese steel industry and research on hydrogen-based steelmaking, which indicated additional R&D requirements and options for pilot trials to be pursued through the Industry Knowledge Centre.
“The setting up of the Industry Knowledge Centre with BHP and Monash University strengthens our longstanding relationship and establishes a model of joint industrial effort to promote technological innovation and a sustainable transition to a lower carbon world. As the largest steelmaker in the world, China Baowu aims to play an active role in working with our partners to identify and implement low carbon technologies to reduce the carbon emissions from the steelmaking value chain,” China Baowu Low Carbon Metallurgy Innovation Center Executive Deputy Director Mao Xiaoming said.
Monash University Pro Vice-Chancellor and President (Suzhou) Prof. Aibing Yu stated, “Monash University is pleased to bridge BHP, a leading global resources company, and China Baowu, the largest steelmaker in the world, to tackle climate change, a global challenge problem. The Industry Knowledge Centre will play an important role in promoting the collaboration between academia and industry and the relationship between Australia and China.”
