The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China (MIIT) has published its 15th five-year plan for ‘green’ and low-carbon industrial development. The main objective of the document is to ensure that carbon dioxide emissions in the industrial sector peak by 2030. This was reported by Kallanish.
The steel industry, as one of the key sectors, is tasked with accelerating the phasing out of obsolete and inefficient capacity, expanding electric arc furnace (EAF) production, developing scrap supply chains, and making orderly use of high-quality recycled steel raw materials from abroad.
The plan prioritises the supply of scrap and renewable electricity to electric arc furnace (EAF) plants. At the same time, the industrial implementation of low-carbon technologies will be encouraged: oxygen- and hydrogen-enriched blast furnace blowing, carbon capture and utilisation, as well as direct hydrogen and smelting reduction of iron.
By 2030, the volume of scrap collection and processing in the country is set to reach 300 million tonnes per year. In regions with a high concentration of steel capacity, close integration between plants and scrap suppliers will be encouraged — from dismantling and processing to logistics. Provided the ban on solid waste imports is upheld, China will increase the organised import of high-quality scrap.
The document provides for the improvement of the carbon footprint management system and the introduction of dual controls — covering both the total volume and the intensity of CO? emissions.
Particular attention is paid to the implementation of artificial intelligence in energy-intensive processes, specifically to optimise charge composition and precisely control temperature and pressure in furnaces. Furthermore, regions with abundant renewable energy resources are advised to facilitate the establishment of energy-intensive enterprises, including steelworks, within their territories.
As reported by the GMK Centre, last year’s study showed that China would need to reduce blast furnace steel production by more than 90 million tonnes compared with 2024 levels in order to meet its 2025 climate targets. China lags significantly behind its global competitors in terms of the share of steel produced in electric arc furnaces (EAF). The global average stood at around 30%, with the US at 71.8%, India at 58.8% and Japan at 26.2% as of 2024.
