ARENA backs ‘heavy hitter’ initiative to reduce industrial greenhouse emissions

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has provided $300,000 to ClimateWorks for the Australian Industry Energy Transitions Initiative (ETI), which will investigate solutions for five supply chains in “hard-to-abate sectors” such as steel and fertiliser manufacturing.

The two-year ETI has “some ‘heavy hitters’ at the table,” said Darren Miller, ARENA’s CEO, adding that he expected the collaboration would “allow for the exchange of ideas and knowledge that will benefit across sectors and supply chains.”

Industry participants include BHP, BlueScope Steel, Orica and APA Group.

The supply chains being focussed on represent over a quarter of Australian greenhouse gas emissions and $160 billion in exports annually. They are:

– iron and steel;

– aluminium and bauxite;

– liquefied natural gas;

– other metals (such as lithium, copper and nickel); and

– chemicals including plastics, fertilisers and explosives.

The ETI is co-convened by ClimateWorks and Climate-KIC. Research partners CSIRO and the Rocky Mountain Institute would work with industry participants “to develop a practical program to fill research gaps, identify challenges and develop projects for implementation.”

Picture: Bluescope steelworks (Ashley Cooper/Science Photo Library)