The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Shen Lab is developing the Renewable Injections-Sustainable Burdens (RISB) process to reduce emissions from blast furnace ironmaking.
The project is funded by ARENA under the Iron and Steel Research and Development Funding Round, part of the Transformative Research Accelerating Commercialisation (TRAC) Program.
Key Details
- The RISB process integrates renewable injection materials (hydrogen-bearing gases and bio-based alternatives) and alternative burden materials into existing blast furnace operations.
- The research aims to enable lower-emission steel production while maintaining the use of Australia's lower-grade Pilbara iron ore.
- ARENA stated that near-term R&D investment is important for accelerating technologies needed for Australia's net zero transition.
- The project seeks to develop and validate a low-emission process that can be implemented using existing blast furnace infrastructure.
Background
- The iron and steel sector is one of the world's largest industrial sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
- The funding round is designed to encourage technologies that support domestic steel decarbonisation and the competitiveness of Australian iron ore in low-emissions markets.
Current Status
The project is in the R&D phase, assessing the technical feasibility and practical application of the RISB process.