Chubais: ferrous metallurgy faces deep restructuring due to energy transition
MOSCOW, January 13 - PRIME. The ferrous metallurgy is facing a deep restructuring related to the energy transition: the abandonment of coal, the restoration of iron with the help of methane and hydrogen, Anatoly Chubais, special representative of the President for relations with international organizations, said at the Gaidar Forum on Thursday.
Chubais recalled that the world is in the stage of energy transition from old non-renewable energy sources (coal, oil, gas), which caused an increased concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere, to clean energy sources (wind, solar, atom, hydropower).
"There are two types of industry energy transfers. Type number one — existing industries that will have to be deeply restructured. For example, ferrous metallurgy. It's clear in a big way. There we will have to move towards electrometallurgy, the reduction of iron using methane rather than coking coals, as well as the recovery of iron from ore using hydrogen. This is a revolution in general," Chubais said.
According to the official, Russia is unlikely to create new technologies in the field of ferrous metallurgy, but it will actively use them.
Chubais added that the second type of energy transfer concerns industries, which currently does not exist. For example, the industries of hydrogen production and transportation, as well as CO2 capture and storage.