Energy use associated with the chemical industries was estimated to be responsible for about 6 Mt of CO 2 in 1996. A low-energy microwave chemical reactor is being developed to replace conventional methods for organic synthesis. The microwave technology allows chemical processes to be carried out at high temperature and pressure, but with less energy and also enables many reactions to be conducted using high-temperature water instead of organic solvents. As with other industrial processes, much of the greenhouse gas emitted as a result of metal production arises as a consequence of its energy intensity. As such, emissions within this sector are mostly accounted for in the stationary energy parts of the national inventory.
Key activities are production of iron and steel and alloys, and aluminium smelting.
It aims primarily at process efficiencies but, through that, can achieve notable greenhouse gas reductions. Nationally, the NGGI ascribes 11.2 Mt of CO 2 emissions to the use of energy in the use of iron and steel across the full production chain. This steel-making process is already a commercial realitybut the speed of take up is dependent on investment factors. So, take up of currently available technologies for methane has been slow, although several companies have invested and made tests. In the course of meeting this aim, the methane utilisation technology developed will exceed current world's best practice.