Can Australia Become a Green Iron Powerhouse?

Abstract

As a country with an abundance of renewable resources, Australia has an opportunity to emerge as a global leader in the production of green iron rather than simply extracting and exporting iron ore around the world. While it makes sense to do so in the changing geopolitical environment, and to assist in achieving our commitments to dramatically reduce our carbon emissions, this paper sheds light on the complex technical and economic arguments for the creation of a green iron industry here in Australia. We argue that targeted government intervention coupled with industry commitment to transforming the sector could realistically result in the emergence of a nascent green iron industry in the medium term.