Industrial solutions for developing low-carbon technologies and achieving carbon neutrality

Aim. The presented study aims to analyze Russian and international experience in the development of measures aimed at reducing the negative impact of climate change and adapting to it; to examine the impact of certain regulatory mechanisms on the business of domestic manufacturing companies.

Tasks. The authors investigate the experience of several Russian companies (through the  example of ferrous metallurgy and the pulp and paper industry) in the introduction of innovative decarbonization technologies; assess the prospects for their use to achieve decarbonization.

Methods. This study analyzes Russian and foreign scientific literature, information from open sources, analytical materials and statistics of  international  organizations.  The  subject  of  the study is the approaches to solving the problem of decarbonization and achieving carbon neutrality.

Results. The ways to achieve carbon neutrality in ferrous metallurgy and the pulp and paper industry — the two industries that are major environmental pollutants — are considered in the context of measures aimed at combating the global processes of climate change and Russia’s strategy of socio-economic development with low greenhouse gas emissions until 2050. The prospects of an inertial way of achieving decarbonization and innovative options for the strategic development of low-carbon technologies are described. The prospects of a wider introduction of direct recovery technology in ferrous metallurgy are shown. In the pulp and paper industry, the possibilities  of  developing  technologies  for  the  production  of  nanocellulose  based on the use of industrial waste are identified.

Conclusions. From the perspective of responding to climate challenges and achieving the optimal economic effect in ferrous metallurgy, the most strategically justified choice seems to be in favor of an innovative way of structural sectoral transformations aimed towards decarbonization and achieving carbon neutrality by reducing the carbon intensity of production through methods of carbon dioxide capture, use, and storage, and direct reduction of iron based on hydrogen. This conclusion corresponds to the strategy for the development of metallurgy adopted in 2022, which orients the industry toward the development and implementation  of  innovative  lowcarbon technologies. In the pulp and paper industry, it seems promising to conduct  further research to obtain innovative technologies for the production of nanocellulose.

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