Steel companies from China have switched to Electric Arc Furnace for production as the Chinese government looks to curb air pollution. Accordingly, 13 steel companies have reorganised their standards per the conditions laid down by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The ministry recently listed companies which have met the set standards for pollution control.
Further, 11 companies have upgraded their converters and blast furnaces and changed names according to the standards.
Data by the environment department of China reveals so far, 222 steel companies across China have shifted to ultra-low emission production, which includes adjustment of industrial structure, energy structure, transportation structure and land use structure.
Since last few years, MIIT has been encouraging steel companies to use electric arc furnaces over blast furnaces. In 2017, steelmakers managed to largely remove induction furnaces and transferred to Electric arc furnaces. Since 2018 approvals for electric arc furnaces capacity has increased in China.