IIT (ISM) Dhanbad sentra.world come together to decarbonise Indian Steel with biochar

The Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, has signed an MoU with sentra.world to spearhead a groundbreaking research initiative focused on decarbonizing India’s iron and steel industry. The sentra.world is a Bangalore-based sustainability startup specializing in decarbonizing industrial manufacturing.

This partnership revolves around the innovative use of biochar which an eco-friendly alternative to coal in steel production processes.

The research will involve characterizing biomass from over 10 Indian states and developing conversion methods to produce high-quality biochar suitable for various steel applications, including coke making, sintering, and sponge iron production.

The project seeks to utilize approximately 720 million tons of surplus biomass available nationwide in steel production. These biomass would include residues like rice parali, bamboo, sugarcane bagasse, and even invasive species like babool. The biomass would be converted into valuable resources like biochar and address multiple challenges like stubble burning that causes of intense air pollution and create new income opportunities for farmers by monetizing agricultural waste.

The Indian steel industry, currently responsible for 8–12% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, stands to benefit significantly from this innovation. By integrating biochar, emissions in the sector could be reduced by up to 40%, substantially mitigating climate impacts. Beyond environmental benefits, this initiative has the potential to boost rural livelihoods, enhance farmer incomes, and align with India’s sustainable development goals.

Professor Sagar Pal, Dean of R&D at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, highlighted that this groundbreaking industry collaboration plays a crucial role in progressing toward Amrit Kaal, as envisioned by the Prime Minister, and achieving the goal of net-zero emissions by 2070.

Vikas Upadhyay, Co-founder of sentra.world, emphasized that with over 50 customers actively exploring ways to reduce their carbon footprint, this partnership represents a major step forward in decarbonizing the nation’s hard-to-abate sectors.

The steel is one of the most energy intensive sectors in the country and the government, along with industry, are searching for ways through innovation for speedy decarbonisation. The research outcomes are expected to drive product standardization, improve sustainability, and establish a global benchmark for innovation in the steel industry.

Recently, Tata Steel successfully trialled the use of biomass fuel in ferrochrome production at its Ferro Alloys and Minerals Division (FAMD) in Athagarh of Odisha, hence replacing conventional fossil fuels.

Earlier, the MNRE Ministry had issued guidelines for implementation of pilot projects for green hydrogen in ‘Steel Sector’ under National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) and subsequently, sanctioned three pilot projects for use of Hydrogen in steel production with a financial support of Rs. 347 Crore.