{"id":7402,"date":"2019-02-11T17:28:19","date_gmt":"2019-02-11T17:28:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.styledeals.co.uk\/blog\/35m-research-hub-to-make-steel-industry-carbon-neutral\/"},"modified":"2019-02-11T17:28:19","modified_gmt":"2019-02-11T17:28:19","slug":"35m-research-hub-to-make-steel-industry-carbon-neutral","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.styledeals.co.uk\/blog\/35m-research-hub-to-make-steel-industry-carbon-neutral\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00a335m research hub to make steel industry carbon-neutral"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Matthew Horwood\/Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n Steel produced at Port Talbot is used for construction projects and the car industry
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A \u00a335m research network has been announced aimed at making the UK iron and steel industry carbon-neutral by 2040.<\/p>\n

Swansea, Sheffield and Warwick universities will work with steelmakers on the seven-year Sustain programme.<\/p>\n

It will include looking at harvesting untapped energy sources and capturing carbon emissions, as well as developing new products.<\/p>\n

Those behind it believe it could also increase jobs in the industry.<\/p>\n

Swansea University is leading the research and its steel expert Dr Cameron Pleydell-Pearce, Sustain’s deputy director, said it would support the industry’s vision for a “responsible, innovative and creative future”. <\/p>\n

The UK has a commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% compared with 1990 levels<\/a> and industry is expected to play its part.<\/p>\n

Industry accounted for 30% of total Welsh carbon emissions in 2016, with about half of these coming from the giant Port Talbot plant alone. <\/p>\n

The steel it produces is used in everything from the car industry and construction to wind turbines.<\/p>\n

Emissions for Port Talbot fell by 11% in 2016 compared with the year before. But overall carbon emissions in Wales have fallen by only 19% between 1990 and 2015, compared with a 38% reduction for the UK as a whole.<\/p>\n

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Image copyright<\/span>
\n Swansea University<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n Analysing the steel coatings on everything from cars to canned food
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This research project is supported by a \u00a310m investment from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, with the rest from steel companies, trade bodies and the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales.<\/p>\n

It will include looking at the way steel is made, methods of capturing emissions, re-processing waste and developing new products.<\/p>\n

Dr Pleydell-Pearce said: “We are already on the road to clean, green and smart steelmaking, but this is another giant step forward.” <\/p>\n

As well as capturing carbon – and also re-using it – there is also the potential for big steel-making sites to make better use of scrap metals and to become ideal locations for recycling household waste for energy.<\/p>\n

Researchers are also looking at developing “smart” steel processing. This is improving the way the complicated data and measurements used to make different types of steel products are managed – including the use of sensors and laser technology – to improve efficiency and help manufacturers. <\/p>\n