Japanese Proposal On Steelmaker Emissions Becomes Intl Standard

TOKYO (Nikkei)--A Japanese method of calculating carbon dioxide released during steelmaking has been accepted by the International Organization for Standardization, a victory that could become a selling point for Japanese energy-saving technology.

Dating back to 2009, the proposal was a public-private effort that included the Japan Iron and Steel Federation.

The new standard, known as ISO 14404, takes into account efforts by steelmakers to conserve energy, such as harnessing gas by-products or waste heat to generate electricity. This had been a problem for earlier calculation methods, which generally measured CO2 emissions from each major component of steel mills. They were strict, but did not fully reflect efforts by steelmakers to invest in energy-saving equipment.

The benefits of installing energy-saving equipment will be easier to grasp with a single international standard, says JFE Steel Corp.

In addition, the Japanese method takes into account CO2 emissions associated with coke and other raw materials purchased from outside vendors. This means steelmakers can no longer reduce their CO2 emissions simply by outsourcing production steps.

Japanese steelmakers lead their foreign peers in energy-saving technology, and they are marketing these systems in emerging economies. The need for Japanese technology overseas will increase, predicts Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp. (5401).

(The Nikkei, March 19 morning edition)

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