Kazakhstan-based Eurasian Resources Group will focus on decarbonising its projects using green hydrogen and renewables, chairman of the Board of Directors, Alexander Machkevitch said.
ERG has around 40 projects across the company and is developing hybrid filter technology at its plants with German group ThyssenKrupp.
"We are exploring replacing fossil fuel oil in calcination kilns with green hydrogen, which can eliminate 100% of direct greenhouse gas emissions," Machkevitch said.
ERG will also develop a renewables capacity of 6 gigawatts using wind and solar power plants, he said.
The company aims to reduce particulate emissions two-fold by 2030, reduce water consumption by one-third by 2030, and prevent emissions of more than 2 million tons of CO2 each year.
Meeting these targets will cost ERG around US$1.6 billion.
In December 2021, ERG signed a contract with ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions to develop four electric filters in sintering furnaces at ERG's Pavlodar Alumina Plant. ERG invested US$44 million, or 19 billion tenge, in the project.
The reduction in carbon emissions will also assist Kazakhstan with meeting its climate goals, the company said. Kazakhstan plans to reduce GHG emissions by 1.5% per year between 2022 and 2025, and achieve an overall 15% reduction by 2030. Kazakhstan is working on becoming carbon neutral by 2060.
ERG operations in Kazakhstan include iron ore, aluminium, ferroalloys, cobalt, and copper producing mines and smelters.
