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Biochar for Indian steel: renewable carbon for your CCTS target
Biochar can replace part of the coal used in coal-based DRI kilns, blast-furnace injection, sintering and ferro-alloy smelting, cutting fossil CO₂ per tonne of steel without new equipment. Shaiva Energy supplies metallurgical biochar to specification, with trial lots and contracted monthly supply.
Why steel plants are switching now
- 255 iron and steel units have draft CCTS emission-intensity targets for FY 2026-27. Plants that miss them must buy carbon credit certificates. CCTS guide
- India's green steel rating gives 3 to 5 stars below 2.2 tCO₂ per tonne of finished steel, and public procurement will favour rated steel. Star rating guide
- EU CBAM charges on steel imports began in January 2026. CBAM guide
- Tata Steel has replaced about 30,000 tonnes of fossil fuel with biochar at Jamshedpur, and SAIL has injected biochar at Rourkela.
Key facts
- 255 iron and steel units are covered by draft CCTS targets.
- India made 55.76 Mt of sponge iron in 2024-25, mostly in coal-based rotary kilns.
- India imported about US$27.6 million of wood charcoal in 2025.
- The 3-star green steel threshold is 2.2 tCO₂ per tonne of finished steel.
Where biochar fits in your plant
| Process | How biochar is used | Specification focus |
|---|---|---|
| Coal-based DRI rotary kiln | Partial replacement of feed coal | Fixed carbon, ash, size, reactivity |
| Blast furnace PCI | Injected with pulverised coal | Ash, alkalis, grindability, moisture |
| Sintering | Replaces part of the coke breeze | Size, fixed carbon |
| Ferro-alloys (submerged-arc furnaces) | Replaces imported wood charcoal | Fixed carbon, phosphorus, ash, strength |
| Captive power | Torrefied pellets co-fired with coal | Calorific value, grindability |
Blend levels are set with each plant through a trial. We do not quote a blend before your own trial data exists.
Biochar as a charcoal substitute for ferro-alloys
Silicon, ferrosilicon and silicomanganese plants use carbon reductants in submerged-arc furnaces. Wood charcoal is prized there because it is reactive, porous and low in ash. Much of it is imported.
Metallurgical biochar made from Indian residues can replace part of that charcoal. The impurities in the reductant end up in the alloy or the slag, so the specification is tighter than for kiln fuel.
What ferro-alloy buyers specify
- High fixed carbon and low ash
- Low phosphorus and sulphur, which pass into the metal
- Reactivity and porosity close to wood charcoal
- Lump size and mechanical strength that survive the charge
- Steady moisture, so the carbon balance stays predictable
Send your current charcoal specification and we propose a MetChar grade and a trial quantity.
How we work with steel buyers
Specification match
Share your current coal or charcoal specification and we propose a MetChar grade.
Trial lot
A plant-trial quantity delivered with lot-wise lab reports.
Contract
Quarterly or annual tonnage, priced per tonne or per tonne of fixed carbon.
Carbon data
Lot-wise origin and analysis to support your CCTS and CBAM reporting.
Steel buyers ask
Can biochar replace coal in a coal-based DRI kiln?
Partly, yes. Tata Steel's DRI trial raised biochar from 3% to 30% of the coal over seven days. Plants usually start with a lower blend in a trial and increase it as kiln behaviour is confirmed.
Does biochar reduce my plant's CCTS emission intensity?
Biochar is biogenic carbon, so replacing fossil coal with it lowers fossil CO₂ per tonne of product. How it is counted follows the CCTS monitoring and verification rules for your plant; we supply the lot-wise data your verifier will ask for.
What does steel-grade biochar need?
Typically high fixed carbon, low ash, low phosphorus and sulphur, controlled volatile matter and a size range that suits the process. We match your current coal or charcoal specification.
Do you supply ferro-alloy plants?
Yes. MetChar can replace imported wood charcoal in submerged-arc furnaces. India imported about US$27.6 million of wood charcoal in 2025.
Talk to our steel desk
Tell us your process, current fuel and monthly tonnage.
Every enquiry reaches our team directly. Tell us the grade, monthly tonnes and delivery point and we reply with specifications, a price basis and lead time.