Breaking News

Tiangang Steel: Pioneering Green Innovation in China's Heavy Industry

Tiangang Steel: Pioneering Green Innovation in China’s Heavy Industry

Tianjin, February 1, 2025 – The Europe Today: The vast industrial complex of Tiangang, a leading Chinese steel manufacturer, spans an area equivalent to nearly 600 football fields. What sets it apart, however, is its commitment to sustainability—hydrogen-powered trucks transport materials, residual heat from slag flushing warms the facility, and every lamp is energy efficient.

As China’s iron and steel industry remains the country’s largest carbon emitter—contributing 1.8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, about 15% of total emissions—achieving carbon neutrality poses a formidable challenge. However, Tianjin Iron & Steel Group Co., Ltd. (Tiangang), based in Tianjin Municipality, has taken bold steps toward green transformation.

A major breakthrough in Tiangang’s sustainability drive is its newly installed 100-megawatt power generation facility, which repurposes blast furnace gas to generate electricity. Operating around the clock, this facility now meets nearly one-third of the plant’s total energy needs.

“Previously, residual gas was wasted, but now it generates power, saving 226,900 tonnes of standard coal annually and reducing carbon emissions by 657,900 tonnes per year,” said Yang Wei, a carbon trader at Tiangang.

Additionally, photovoltaic panels have been installed on the plant’s rooftops. Once fully implemented, these panels will generate over 50 megawatts of electricity, further boosting Tiangang’s use of green energy.

Energy efficiency has also improved through machinery upgrades. He Qiang, an executive overseeing energy management at Tiangang, highlighted the replacement of outdated, high-energy-consuming equipment with modern, eco-friendly technology.

China, aiming to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, is working to integrate the steel sector into the national carbon trading market. While Tiangang is not yet part of the national system, it has actively participated in Tianjin’s local carbon trading market and, in 2023, achieved a surplus in its carbon emission allowances for the first time.

Notably, Tiangang’s parent company, New Tianjin Steel Group, has transformed its industrial site into an educational destination. Visitors, particularly students, tour the facility to learn about steel manufacturing, explore iron and steel sculptures, and even craft their own steel artworks.

What was once a hub of heavy industry now features green landscapes, wildlife, and artistic installations—an inspiring example of China’s evolving approach to sustainable industrial development.