On the morning of April 22^nd, the 1^st Innovation Forum on Carbon Neutrality for Iron & Steel Industry was held in the USTB Auditorium & Staff Activity Hall. Prof. GAN Yong, academician and former Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), Director of the National Advisory Committee for New Materials Industry Development Experts; Prof. LU Ke, academician of the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS), member of the Standing Committee of the 14^th CPPCC National Committee, Vice Chairman of the Liaoning Provincial Political Consultative Conference and Director of Liaoning Materials Laboratory; Prof. WANG Haizhou academician of CAE from the Central Iron & Steel Research Institute (CISRI); Prof. SHAO Anlin, academician of CAE, member of the Party Leadership Group and Vice General Manager of China Mineral Resources Group Co., LTD; Prof. ZHANG Fucheng, member of the Standing Committee of the 14^th CPPCC National Committee, Vice Chairman of the Hebei Provincial CPPCC and President of North China University of Science and Technology; Mr. WU Guilong, Chancellor of USTB; Prof. YANG Renshu, Vice Chancellor President of USTB; Prof.GE Changchun, academician of CAS; Prof. XIE Jianxin, Prof. MAO Xinping, and Prof. YUE Qingrui, academicians of CAE; Prof. LV Zhaoping, Prof. ZHANG Weidong, and Prof. JIAO Shuqiang, Vice Presidents of USTB; and heads of relevant USTB departments and schools attended the Forum.

The Forum

Prof. ZHANG Weidong presided over the Forum

Prof. ZHANG Weidong presided over the morning session. The Forum first played the one-year summary video of learning and implementing the spirit of President XI Jinping’s important reply to senior professors at USTB. It introduced USTB’s history of carrying forward the spirit of rigorous learning and dedicated teaching in the past 70 years since its establishment and expressed USTB’s continuous efforts to cultivate more high-quality talents and its strong determination to promote innovative development and green low-carbon development of the iron & steel industry.

Mr. WU Guilong delivered a speech

On behalf of USTB, Mr. WU gave a welcome speech, thanking all the leaders and experts for coming and everyone for their care and support for USTB all the time. He introduced to the experts the specific measures and main achievements of USTB to implement the spirit of President XI Jinping’s important reply and promote the relevant research on carbon neutrality.

Prof. GAN Yong delivered a speech

Prof. GAN Yong spoke with great affection about his many connections with USTB and expressed his deep feelings about President XI Jinping's important reply to senior professors of USTB. He encouraged USTB to continue to contribute to carbon neutrality in the iron and steel industry in the future.

Mr. JIANG Wei made a speech

Mr. JIANG Wei, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Vice President and Secretary-General of China Iron and Steel Association (CISA), on behalf of CISA, fully affirmed the contribution made by USTB in the industry and believes that USTB will play a greater role in the national carbon-peaking and carbon strategy.

Mr. ZHANG Zhixiang made a speech

Mr. ZHANG Zhixiang, President of the Beijing Jianlong Heavy Industry Group Co., LTD., recalled the scene when he led a delegation to visit USTB on its 50^th anniversary and expressed appreciation for the many outstanding talents USTB has cultivated over the years. He believes that these talents will play an important role in the process of carbon peaking and carbon neutralization.

Mr. XIE Junyong made a speech

Signing the strategic cooperation agreement 

Prof. LU Ke and Prof. YANG Renshu signed a strategic cooperation agreement on behalf of Liaoning Materials Laboratory and USTB, respectively. Indicating that USTB will carry out more in-depth research in the field of new materials research and development and carbon neutrality in the iron & steel industry.

Prof. LU Ke made a speech

During the report session of the conference, Prof. LU Ke themed on "Schwarz Crystal - A New Kind of Metastable Structure in Metals" and introduced in plain words the mechanism of improving the performance of metal materials by changing grain size and interface structure, so as to promote more efficient utilization of materials and reduce resource and energy consumption. The result is a slighter environmental impact.

Prof. NIE Zuoren's report (reported by Prof. LIU Yu)

Prof. NIE's report (presented by Prof. LIU Yu) analyzed and evaluated the contribution of different industries to achieving carbon peak, and themed on technological innovation prospect of peak and carbon neutrality in China.

Prof. MAO Xinping made a report

Prof. MAO Xinping themed on reflections on carbon neutrality in the iron and steel industry, made a comprehensive summary of actively promoting the steady realization of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, and looked forward to the overall situation of contributing to carbon neutrality in the iron and steel industry, such as the utilization of scrap steel.

The Forum’s afternoon session was presided over by Prof. HOU Xinmei, Associate Dean at the USTB Carbon Neutral Research Institute.

Prof. ZHANG Fuming made a report

Prof. ZHANG Fuming, First-level Scientist and Professor-level Senior Engineer of Shougang Group, talked about how to further improve the efficiency of resources and energy utilization in the iron-making system and how to continuously promote the innovation of low-carbon and energy-saving technology development as to the carbon neutral future.

Prof. FAN Tiejun made a report

Prof. FAN Tiejun, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of the Metallurgical Industry Planning and Research Institute, made a systematic introduction from the correct understanding of the development of China's iron and steel, the opportunities and challenges faced under the dual-carbon goal, the path of low-carbon transformation of China's iron and steel industry, the current hot issues in the industry and the construction of high-quality development pattern.

Prof. YANG Bin made a report

Prof. YANG Bin, Vice President of Kunming University of Science and Technology, reported on the collaborative utilization of the nonferrous metal metallurgy process and iron resources and new ways to promote the collaborative development, green development ,and low carbon development of the nonferrous metal metallurgy industry and iron and steel metallurgy industry.

Prof. LI Hongxia made a report

Prof. LI Hongxia, Chief Scientist of Baowu Group, from Luoyang Refractory Materials Research Institute Co., LTD., Sinosteel Group, introduced the innovative research of refractory materials used in a variety of metallurgical furnace lining, sliding plate and immersed water outlet, and expounded the important role of refractory materials in the low carbonization of iron and steel industry.

Prof. ZHU Yongmiao made a report

Prof. ZHU Miaoyong, professor at Northeastern University, analyzed the existing problems in continuous casting and the key technologies in urgent need of breakthrough in developing a new generation of efficient continuous casting technology.

Prof. ZHU Rong made a report

Prof. ZHU Rong, professor at the USTB School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, combined with the current ultra-low carbon emission background of steelmaking in China, explored the potential of seeking the limited carbon in steelmaking under the background of "carbon neutrality" and the potential of helping the green and low-carbon development of iron & steel industry.

The Forum

The Forum included Mr. WANG Xinjiang, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the Chinese Society of Metals, Mr. LI Wenxiu, Vice Director of the Expert Committee of the Chinese Society of Metals, Mr. ZHANG Longqiang, Secretary of the Institute of Metallurgical Industry Information Standards, Mr. LIU Jianhui, Secretary of Shougang Co., Ltd. and more than 150 guests from industrial associations, enterprises, universities and research institutes. The present status, medium- and long-term prospect of carbon neutralization in Chinese iron and steel industry were discussed.

This year's Innovation Forum on Carbon Neutrality for Iron & Steel Industry  was held under the background of "actively and steadily achieve  peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality" promoted in the 20^th CPC National Congress Report. All the scientific and technological workers in both school and metallurgical industry closely focus on the national "Dual-carbon" strategic goal, taking this forum as an opportunity to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation. To promote interdisciplinary integration, production, teaching and research integration, in order to effectively promote the iron and steel industry carbon neutrality and its innovation and green low-carbon development, for the strong support of science, technology and manufacturing to make new and greater contributions.

Draft: LI Jialin

Revision: CHENG Mingyuan