Australia and India test rice husk waste to produce low carbon steel
Researchers from Australia and India have completed what they describe as the world’s first commercial scale trial using agricultural waste to partially replace coal in steel production, offering a potential pathway to reduce emissions in one of the most carbon intensive industries.
The trial, announced on March 10 by Australia’s national science agency CSIRO, involved integrating rice husk pellets into gasifiers at a Jindal Steel facility in the Indian state of Odisha. Scientists conducted the project with the Indian Institute of Science and RESCONS Solutions, a steel technology company incubated at IISc.
During the test, researchers replaced 5 percent and 10 percent of the coal used in the gasification process with locally sourced rice husk pellets. The facility maintained stable synthesis gas production and experienced no loss in operational performance.
The steel sector is one of India’s most significant sources of industrial emissions. On average, the country produces about 2.55 tonnes of carbon dioxide for every tonne of steel, a level above the global average. Steel manufacturing accounts for roughly 12 percent of India’s total emissions.
India’s steel capacity is projected to double to 300 million tonnes by 2030, increasing pressure on the industry to reduce its carbon footprint.
Researchers estimate that widespread adoption of biomass substitution could reduce emissions from India’s steel sector by as much as 50 percent, equivalent to around 357 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
India also generates large volumes of agricultural residues that are often burned in fields, contributing to severe air pollution. The country produces an estimated 228 million tonnes of surplus crop residues each year, including rice husks that could be repurposed as industrial biomass fuel.
CSIRO principal research scientist Warren Flentje said the trial demonstrated that agricultural waste can be used effectively in large scale steelmaking without compromising performance. By blending rice husk pellets with coal in commercial gasifiers, researchers showed that biomass can partially replace fossil fuels in the production process.
The project was funded through the Australian government’s Indo Australian Green Steel Research Partnership. As part of the initiative, the team also created an online interactive map combining India’s steel infrastructure with regional biomass availability to help companies identify locations where biomass based steel production could be viable.
Damodar Mittal, executive director of Jindal Steel, described the collaboration as a major step toward decarbonizing the company’s operations. He said integrating biomass into production processes sets a new benchmark for India’s steel industry.
The next phase of the project will focus on increasing biomass substitution rates, testing additional biomass sources and expanding trials to smaller regional steel plants. The initiative supports India’s national strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2070.
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