Bengaluru, September 10, 2026: Tata Steel Meramandali commissioned its groundbreaking Coke Oven Gas (COG) Injection Project at Blast Furnace 1 – a first-of-its-kind initiative in the Indian steel industry. The initiative underscores Tata Steel’s unwavering commitment to its Net Zero by 2045 target and highlights the Company’s leadership in deploying breakthrough technologies for low-carbon iron and steel production.
Subodh Pandey, Vice President – Technology, R&D, NMB and Graphene, Tata Steel, said: “This initiative of maximising the utilisation of process gases to reduce dependence on external fossil fuels reinforces Tata Steel’s leadership in sustainable manufacturing. We remain focused on demonstrating and scaling low carbon technologies, thereby accelerating our journey towards Net Zero by 2045.”
Sudhir Kumar Mehta, Vice President – Operations, Tata Steel Meramandali, said: “This project is a good example of how our teams continuously look for ways to improve efficiency while reducing the environmental impact. By finding a productive use for coke oven gas within the blast furnace process, we are making our operations leaner and cleaner.”
In an integrated steel plant, COG – a hydrogen and hydrocarbon-rich byproduct gas – is typically used for power generation, heating, or simply flared. With support from technology partner M/s Paul Wurth-SMS and equipment supplier M/s Kobelco, Tata Steel has successfully implemented the COG injection in the blast furnace through tuyeres, substituting fossil fuel as a reductant, thereby reducing the environmental impact.
Apart from reducing fossil fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, it also provides a unique opportunity to operate the blast furnace with a three-fuel system, enhancing operational flexibility and efficiency. Additionally, the initiative strengthens Tata Steel’s leadership in green steel production through the safe and stable operation of advanced injection technologies. Tata Steel has been a pioneer in the adoption of low-carbon blast furnace technologies, successfully demonstrating coal bed methane, hydrogen, and biochar injection in the blast furnace.
About Tata Steel
- Tata Steel group is among the top global steel companies with an annual crude steel capacity of 36 million tonnes per annum.
- It is one of the world’s most geographically diversified steel producers, with operations and commercial presence across the world.
- The group recorded a consolidated turnover of around US$26 billion in the financial year ending March 31, 2026.
- A Great Place to Work®-certified organisation, Tata Steel Limited, together with its subsidiaries, associates, and joint ventures, is spread across five continents with an employee base of over 77,000. • Tata Steel has announced its major sustainability objectives including Net Zero by 2045.
- The Company has been on a multi-year digital-enabled business transformation journey intending to be the leader in ‘Digital Steel making’. The Company has received the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse recognition for its Jamshedpur, Kalinganagar, and IJmuiden Plants. 78% of our steel comes from these global lighthouses. Tata Steel has also been recognised with the ‘Digital Enterprise of India – Steel’ Award 2024 by Economic Times CIO.
- The Company has been recognised with the World Economic Forum’s Global Diversity Equity & Inclusion Lighthouse 2023.
- The Company has been a part of the DJSI Emerging Markets Index since 2012 and has been consistently ranked among the top 10 steel companies in the DJSI Corporate Sustainability Assessment since 2016.
- Tata Steel’s Jamshedpur Plant is India’s first site to receive ResponsibleSteelTM Certification. Subsequently, its Kalinganagar and Meramandali plants have also received the certification. In India, Tata Steel now has more than 90% of its steel production from ResponsibleSteelTM certified sites.
- Received Prime Minister’s Trophy for the best performing integrated steel plant for 2016-17, 2026 Steel Sustainability Champion recognition from worldsteel for nine years in a row, CDP 2024 ‘Supplier Engagement Assessment’ Leader, Top performer in Iron and Steel sector in Dun & Bradstreet’s India’s top 500 companies 2022, Ranked as the 2026 most valuable Mining, Iron and Steels brand in India by Brand Finance, ‘Most Ethical Company’ award 2021 from Ethisphere Institute, and CII Sports Business Award 2025 for ‘The Legacy of Excellence in Sports Patronage’.
- Received the Legal Team of the Year – Manufacturing at the 15th Annual Legal Era Indian Legal Awards 2025-26, 2023 Global ERM (Enterprise Risk Management) Award of Distinction at the RIMS ERM Conference 2023, ‘Masters of Risk – Metals & Mining’ recognition at The India Risk Management Awards Season 12, and ICSI Business Responsibility and Sustainability Award 2023 for its first Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR), Excellence in Financial Reporting FY20 from ICAI, among several others.
