First ferrochrome plants in India, Tata Steel conducts successful trial of biomass use

First ferrochrome plants in India, Tata Steel conducts successful trial of biomass use

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First ferrochrome plants in India

Team News Interesting

Bhubaneswar, July 20

Tata Steel on Saturday successfully conducted a trial of using biomass for ferrochrome production at its ferrochrome plant at Athagarh in Cuttack district of Odisha.

The plant, which falls under the company’s Ferro Alloys and Minerals Division (FAMD), is the first in India to have been piloted as part of the sustainable alternative to traditional carbon sources.

The trial marks an important step towards sustainable ferrochrome production and reducing the carbon footprint. It involved replacing conventional fossil fuels with biomass, a renewable energy source derived from organic materials. This initiative is expected to reduce carbon emissions.2 emission of 0.08/t ferrochrome (@5 percent use of biomass), which is approximately 6 percent of the total CO2 emission from ferrochrome factory.

“This trial is part of our commitment to sustainability and our relentless drive to reduce our carbon emissions. By utilising biomass, we aim to create a cleaner, more sustainable production process, thereby contributing to a greener future,” said Pankaj Satija, Executive-In-charge, FAMD, Tata Steel.

The initiative replaces conventional reductants with carbon-neutral biomass produced by burning wood at low temperatures in an oxygen-poor atmosphere. The carbon released by burning charcoal in the Submerged Arc Furnace (SAF) is offset by the carbon absorbed by the trees from which it is made.

“The transition to biomass is an important milestone in our sustainability journey,” said Satija. “We will continue to explore and implement innovative solutions that drive environmental performance and operational excellence,” he added.

FAMD has long been at the forefront of environmental initiatives and is constantly looking for ways to minimize its impact on the environment. In partnership with FluxGen Sustainable Technologies, it has implemented the digitalization of water consumption via a digital dashboard in the Ferrochrome units and mines.