TransitionZero is a London-based organisation that is using satellite images to monitor steel decarbonisation.
A warehouse equipment manufacturer needs steel to make shelving, trolleys, tables and other items that are essential for a warehouse to function. Traditional steelmaking uses blast furnaces powered by coking coal, a fossil fuel with high-carbon emissions. The steel production industry is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, but the world relies on steel to make wind turbines, solar panels, electric vehicles and other technologies that are part of the transition to a net zero economy.
Data on how much carbon steel production emits has been sparse and not fully accurate. To address this, TransitionZero has analysed data from the Global Energy Monitor’s global steel plant tracker combined with satellite imagery to create a dataset of steel production emissions from blast furnace steel plants in 40 countries.
The Port Talbot steelworks in Wales has, like many steel plants, shut down its blast furnaces and is building less polluting electric arc furnaces. As more steel makers transition to greener steel production, this should be reflected in the TranistionZero dataset showing fewer carbon emissions.
TransitionZero creates datasets and models that provide analysis and insights into the transition to using greener energy sources and carbon emission reduction. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has a target of 90% fewer carbon emissions from the steel industry by 2050.
TransitonZero claims that it is difficult to assess the progress towards this goal without better methods to measure carbon emissions.
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