A guide to greening heavy industries steps into the spotlight

A new book offers insights into transitioning heavy industry toward near-zero emissions, amid a push for cleaner manufacturing processes supported by the Biden administration.

Dan Gearino reports for Inside Climate News.


In short:

  • Jeffrey Rissman's book, Zero-Carbon Industry, highlights actionable strategies for industries like steel, concrete, and chemicals to drastically reduce their climate impact.
  • The Biden administration backs these initiatives with significant funding, aiming to modernize production methods across 33 companies for a greener future.
  • Rissman emphasizes the importance of informed policies and technology adoption in achieving substantial emission reductions in the industrial sector.
Key quote:

“Policymakers didn’t fully understand, ‘What is the industry sector?’ ‘What are the processes they use to create products?’”

— Jeffrey Rissman, Energy Innovation

Why this matters:

These initiatives represent a comprehensive overhaul of heavy industry, involving cutting-edge technologies, renewable energy sources, and innovative manufacturing processes. The goal is ambitious but clear: drastically reduce the carbon footprint of industries like steel, cement, and chemicals, which are crucial for modern life but significantly harmful to our planet.

Related: Cleaner steelmaking can’t come fast enough for this Northern Ontario city

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