Nippon Steel, the largest steel company, is 2050 by producing high-quality iron in an "electric furnace" that uses electricity instead of coal to produce iron and accelerating research on completely new iron-making technology that utilizes hydrogen. For the first time, we have established a policy of setting a goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions to virtually zero by the year.
A huge investment of 5 trillion yen is expected to be required to achieve the target, and the company plans to seek long-term support from the government.
Toward the realization of a carbon-free society, the government has set a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to virtually zero by 2050, but the steel industry has set a lot of carbon dioxide in the process of making steel in a blast furnace using coal. It emits carbon, which accounts for about 15% of the total domestic emissions, and attention is being paid to its response.
Under these circumstances, according to the people concerned, Nippon Steel has decided for the first time to set a goal of achieving virtually zero emissions by 2050.
Specifically, the company plans to research and develop a technology for producing high-quality iron in an "electric furnace" that uses electricity instead of coal to produce iron, and a completely new technology for producing iron using hydrogen, and put it into practical use. I will.
Furthermore, the company plans to promote the utilization of technology that collects carbon dioxide, which is being developed in Japan and overseas, and stores it underground.
It is expected that a huge investment of 5 trillion yen will be required to achieve the target, and the company plans to seek long-term support from the government in the future.
Nippon Steel has a policy of incorporating these goals into its management plan announced today, and it seems that it aims to compete with overseas steel makers such as China and Europe, which are focusing on the environmental field.