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Experts from around the world will meet at the University of Adelaide to discuss ways to tackle the on-going challenge to help decarbonise energy intensive industries like iron, steel, cement and aluminium.

The University of Adelaide’s Professor Gus Nathan, who is chairing the annual High Temperature Minerals Processing (HiTeMP) Forum, specialises in thermal energy engineering in systems supplied by solar and geothermal sources and the combustion of fossil and bio-fuels.

“The High Temperature Minerals Processing (HiTeMP) Forum is the go-to forum for industry, researchers and government agencies at the forefront of implementing the transition to net-zero CO2 emissions for high temperature industrial processes,” said Professor Nathan, Director, Institute for Sustainability, Energy and Resources (ISER), University of Adelaide.

“We will be discussing the latest developments about the technologies, policies and finance to address barriers and identify the enablers to further decarbonise energy-intensive, high temperature process industries, which are the hard-to-abate parts of heavy industry.

“The challenge is complex as there is no one-size-fits-all solution that can be applied to different industries using large amounts of energy - each has its own requirements which must be catered for if they are to successfully transition away from using fossil fuels.”

The forum, which is being held from 21 to 23 October at the University of Adelaide, is the fourth time that experts from around the world have convened to discuss how energy-intensive industry can contribute to meeting the target to reduce world-wide emissions to net zero by 2050.

“We want to make sure that Australian companies are at the forefront of the emerging opportunities,” said Professor Nathan.

“Australia has the potential to have lower cost net-zero energy sources than many other countries. Hydrogen is expected to be in this mix, either generated from renewables or natural gas, but both carbon capture and re-use or storage and electrification with net-zero electricity are also important.

“In the world of the future, neither renewable energy nor hydrogen are cheap to transport, so it’s easier to use them to decarbonise ore where they are is co-located, and then ship that product which is a higher value product than is currently being exported.

“Australia could potentially change from exporting ore to green value-added materials for other countries to turn into green products.”

The forum will feature the latest research which aims to find technology-driven solutions to help industry make the transition to a net-zero future while minimising the costs and risks associated with new technology while enabling companies to remain competitive.

"The challenge is complex as there is no one-size-fits-all solution that can be applied to different industries using large amounts of energy - each has its own requirements which must be catered for if they are to successfully transition away from using fossil fuels."Professor Gus Nathan

The University of Adelaide’s Professor Greg Metha, Professor Alfonso Chinnici and Dr Woei Saw, who are presenting at the forum, are undertaking research that aims to create a more sustainable future.

Professor Metha’s focus is on perfecting hydrogen production technology which is a key driver for achieving net-zero emissions targets. Professor Chinnici’s expertise is in sustainable heat/mass transfer and reaction engineering, combustion science and solar thermal energy, circular economy practices, and environmentally conscious metal/mineral processing techniques. By integrating renewable energy sources with existing industrial processes, Dr Saw's work enables more sustainable operations and significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

“The low-carbon transition will significantly impact on global supply chains, generating new opportunities for those nations such as Australia which possess net-zero energy sources and mineral resources,” said Professor Nathan.

“With a growing number of high temperature manufacturing companies across the world already committed to decarbonise, new markets are opening both for the emerging certified low-carbon products and for the new technologies needed to manufacture them.

“Currently, Australia exports its ore to be processed overseas into raw materials, but we are ideally placed to be a major player in the next 20 to 30 years as a manufacturer of green raw materials such as green iron and alumina by processing ore using our abundant locally-generated renewable energy.

“The best minds in research, industry and government, such as those attending HiTeMP, are working together to overcome challenges faced by energy-intensive industries and to realise the opportunities on the horizon.”

More information about the HiTeMP Forum including all presenters is available on the University of Adelaide’s website.