(Economic Observation) What is the impact of China's implementation of "cleaner production" on the steel industry?

  China news agency, Beijing, November 11 -

Title: China to implement "clean production" affect the geometry of the steel industry?

  China News Agency reporter Ruan Yulin

  China's National Development and Reform Commission and other ten departments have jointly issued the "14th Five-Year Plan for the Implementation of Cleaner Production in the Country," which requires that industrial clean production be emphasized.

The steel industry is a major carbon emitter among the 31 sectors of China's manufacturing industry, accounting for about 16% of the country's total carbon emissions.

During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, what impact will the implementation of cleaner production across the country have on the steel industry?

Ultra-low emission transformation of 530 million tons of steel production capacity

  The National Development and Reform Commission has recently joined forces with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce, and the State Administration for Market Regulation to issue the "14th Five-Year Plan" nationwide Cleaner Production Promotion Plan (hereinafter referred to as the Plan).

  Ge Xin, deputy director of the Lange Iron and Steel Research Center, said that the State Council recently issued the "Carbon Peaking Action Plan by 2030", which puts forward clear requirements for the implementation of cleaner production. The implementation of measures.

  The "Plan" pointed out that we should focus on clean industrial production.

New projects in steel and other industries strictly implement equal or reduced production capacity replacement.

Promote green design of industrial products.

Improve the implementation mechanism of green design for industrial products.

Vigorously promote the clean and low-carbon transformation of key industries.

Strictly implement laws and regulations and standards such as quality, environmental protection, energy consumption, and safety, and accelerate the elimination of outdated production capacity.

  The "Plan" requires vigorously promoting clean and low-carbon transformation of key industries.

Speed ​​up the elimination of outdated production capacity.

The iron and steel industry must vigorously promote the demonstration of non-blast furnace ironmaking technology and promote the all-scrap electric furnace process.

Promote the combined regeneration and reuse of wastewater from the iron and steel industry, and the advanced treatment of coking wastewater by electromagnetic strong oxidation.

It is necessary to complete the ultra-low emission transformation of 530 million tons of iron and steel production capacity, and the clean production transformation of 460 million tons of coking capacity.

Further optimize the structure of steel production capacity

  Ge Xin analyzed that, on the whole, the implementation of the "Plan" will have a positive impact on both the supply and demand of the domestic steel industry.

On the one hand, from the perspective of supply, the capacity expansion of steel production enterprises will be further restricted, and the structure of steel production capacity will be further optimized.

  Ge Xin said that the "plan" proposes strict access to high-energy-consuming and high-emission projects, especially for the expansion of production capacity in the steel and coking industries, and stricter implementation of equal or reduced production capacity replacement.

At the same time, the "Plan" also requires strict access to high-energy-consumption and high-emission projects. New, reconstruction, and expansion projects should adopt advanced and applicable technology and equipment. For the current development stage of the domestic steel industry, vigorously promote all-scrap electric furnaces. The process will be a better solution to replace the existing blast furnace ironmaking process.

  On the other hand, from the perspective of demand, it will have a significant driving effect on downstream demand, and the demand for upgrading and replacing related equipment will be particularly obvious.

The "Plan" proposes to actively promote the substitution of clean and low-carbon energy and industrial waste heat for industrial furnaces, self-supplied coal-fired power plants and coal-fired boilers that use coal, petroleum coke, heavy oil, and residual oil as fuel.

At the same time, it is also required to select 100 enterprises in the steel, coking, building materials, non-ferrous metals, petrochemical and chemical industries to implement clean production transformation projects.

The gradual implementation of these equipment upgrade and replacement and renovation projects will have a certain driving effect on the steel used for machinery and equipment and the steel used for construction.

Low-carbon transition: a new stage of development for the steel industry

  Since the beginning of this year, facing environmental protection and "dual carbon" goals, Chinese steel companies have continuously increased investment in environmental protection, accelerated technological innovation, implemented large-scale ultra-low emission transformations, promoted the application of a series of advanced energy-saving and emission-reduction technologies, and continued to improve their energy-saving and environmental protection levels. .

  According to statistics from the China Iron and Steel Association (abbreviated as: China Iron and Steel Association), from January to September this year, the comprehensive energy consumption per ton of steel per ton of steel of the member companies of the China Iron and Steel Association was 545.33 kg of standard coal, a year-on-year decrease of 1.46%; the consumption of fresh water per ton of steel decreased. 2.32%; chemical oxygen demand decreased by 8.20%; sulfur dioxide emissions decreased by 18.68%.

  Qu Xiuli, vice president and secretary-general of the China Iron and Steel Association, told reporters a few days ago that under the targets of "dual control" of production capacity and output, "dual control" of total energy consumption intensity and "dual carbon", the steel industry must be reduced in development.

  Qu Xiuli pointed out that China's steel industry has entered a new stage of development.

It is necessary to take advantage of the opportunities brought by the country to build a strong domestic demand system and promote the formation of a new dual-cycle development pattern to the steel industry, actively adapt to changes in downstream demand, and accelerate the realization of ultra-low emissions.

Strengthen cooperation between the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain, promote green design products, promote green consumption, and jointly plan the low-carbon transformation of steel.

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