Steel industry is the largest energy-consuming manufacturing industry in the world. With the constant increase in the national and global Steel production, it becomes mandatory to check on the energy consumption in the production and handling processes and actively participate in reducing the carbon print to the environment, said experts on energy conservation and management here on Monday.
Aiming to conserve energy, a workshop on energy conservation and management in the process was recently organized by The Institute of Engineers (Bokaro Center) in a joint association with Oil and Natural Gas (ONGC), Bokaro Power Supply Company (P) Limited (BPSCL) and Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL).
“As a developing country, India has a lot of construction and development plans underway that will further encourage the production of Steel materials. With the increased production, comes the responsibility to promote energy efficiency with minimum greenhouse gas emissions,” said A. Bhaumik Executive Director BSL.
“There is an immediate need to introduce energy-efficient technologies in all steel industries not only in India but across the world,” he added.
About 50 per cent of an integrated facility’s energy input comes from coal while 35 per cent from electricity, 5 per cent from natural gas and 5 per cent from other gasses, said an expert.
By adopting a few norms we can reduce the consumptions of the energy in steel industries, he said adding, “Energy efficiency also increases productivity, reduces the space and equipment needed for storage and supply, and ensures competitiveness with the other companies with respect to the pricing and also energy management. Business strategies, goals, expansion and investment plans are dependent on energy consumption and efficiency projects that are undertaken by the brands.”
Raw materials used in the Steelmaking processes play a pivotal role in defining the energy consumption in the industry, said the expert.
Steel industry should adopt suitable economic and investment policies in a bid to ensure the availability and utilisation of advanced technologies and machinery to conserve energy. These technologies also ensure minimum wastage and monitor the consumption of energy source, said YN Singh another expert.
“Investing in Sustainable and renewable sources of energy are increasing in Steel and related industries to reduce the burden on the non-renewable sources,” he added.
The Steel industry is actively managing its use and conservation of energy. It is crucial to ensure the functioning of the industry and to reduce environmental impacts. Recovery of waste and outgoing heat energy is also been looked into to reuse it in the main processes. AgniSteels has always engaged in preserving energy and also invested in alternative sources of energy, for instance, sustainable energy from the windmills, following reusable energy practices including others, said an expert.
