Engineers from the Metallurgical Technology Division (MeTD) of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) attended the forum on Decarbonization Trends and Opportunities in the Steel Sector on 29 August 2024 at Shangri-La The Fort Manila, in Taguig City.
(L-R) Engrs. Geleni Shalaine Bello and Albertini Buca are in attendance as MGB representatives at the forum.
The flagship event, as organized by the International Finance Corporation (IFC)–World Bank (WB) and the Department of Trade and Industry–Board of Investments (DTI-BOI), aimed to raise awareness and build capacity within the Philippine government and private sector by sharing insights from multinational experts on decarbonization solutions that could create new business opportunities for the steel sector.
It also emphasized the government's role in supporting these efforts through regulations, green procurement policies, and certification standards.
In 2024, the average carbon dioxide emissions per ton of crude steel produced were 2.1 tons for the Blast Furnace-Basic Oxygen Furnace (BF-BOF) process, 0.5 tons for the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF), and 1.2 tons for the Direct Reduced Iron-Electric Arc Furnace (DRI-EAF) process, according to an IFC report. These processes are the three primary production routes, responsible for nearly all the world’s steel production, with approximately 71.5% of global steel production coming from the BF-BOF process.
Decarbonization refers to reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. For the steel industry, this entails investing in hydrogen-based steelmaking processes, using electric methods powered by renewable energy, improving energy efficiency in production, and implementing other process and fuel shifts, including Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage, according to the same IFC report.
In the Philippines, EAF is the only steelmaking process used, utilizing scrap metals as feedstock and producing billets as products, according to a report from the Philippine Iron and Steel Institute (PISI).
(L-R) IFC-Philippines Country Manager, Mr. Jean-Marc Arbogast, and BOI Undersecretary, Dr. Ceferino S. Rodolfo, as forum keynote speakers.
(L-R) East Asia Pacific Industrial Decarbonization Lead of IFC Singapore, Mr. Antonio Della Pelle, presenting the latest technology trends in the steel sector, and PISI President, Mr. Ronald Magsajo, presented an overview of the Philippine steel industry.
(L-R) WB Senior Procurement Specialist, Mr. Dominic Aumentado, presenting the role of green procurement and product standards, and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)-Financial Supervision Sector Deputy Director, Ms. Rhodora Brazil-De Vera, presenting support for decarbonization efforts through sustainable finance.
By: Metallurgical Technology Division