Vale tests use biochar in pellet production

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This is the first industrial scale test successfully completed by Vale.

Vale uses biochar for pellet production for the first time. Biochar is a kind of renewable product, which is obtained by carbonizing biomass. The test was conducted at the Vale pellet plant in St. Louis, Maranion. The traditional pelletizing process uses solid fossil fuels. A total of 57000 tons of pellets were produced in this test, of which 25 per cent of the solid fuel used in the production process was biochar made from plants, resulting in a 10 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. This is the first industrial scale test successfully completed by Vale.

The biochar used in the test was provided by a company based in Minas Gerais, which produced quality products certified specifically for steel production. Rodrigo Boyer (Rodrigo Boyer), the engineer in charge of the project, said the company would also conduct another test in St. Louis with the goal of making biochar consumption at least 50 per cent of total solid fuel. "We will also test the technical feasibility of further increasing the proportion of biochar in blast furnace in 2022." He added. Vale plans to replicate its experience in the use of biochar to the Grand Varren pellet plant in Minas Gerais state in 2022.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from pelletizing is one of the biggest challenges facing Vale, which currently accounts for about 33 per cent of the company's "scope I" and "scope II" emissions, accounting for more than mining and rail transport. The biochar pelletizing test is one of a series of measures taken by Vale to achieve its goal of reducing absolute emissions of "scope one" and "scope two" by 33% by 2030, and the company's ultimate goal is to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. this goal is in line with the Paris Agreement. Vale will invest between US $4 billion and US $6 billion to this end, which will strengthen the company's new social contract and provide best practices for global sustainable development.