Engineering Carbon Credits to make Bharat “Net Zero 2070” Ready

Abstract

India's shift from the Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) framework to the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) sets obligatory GHG intensity standards for energy-heavy industries like steel, cement, and foundries, encouraging process optimizations in engineering to produce tradable Carbon Credit Certificates (CCCs). This research compiles literature regarding industrial decarbonization, merging lifecycle CO₂ evaluation frameworks with foundry-related actions—waste heat recuperation from induction furnace cooling circuits, transitioning fuel from furnace oil to piped natural gas in cupola melting, and optimizing scrap through near-infrared sorting in aluminum sand casting. Based on Bureau of Energy Efficiency guidelines and sector studies, the analysis reveals that melting-dominant emission hotspots (60-70% of foundry LCA) can be strategically addressed to attain measurable reductions below CCTS benchmarks. Case studies demonstrate compliance routes for small and medium enterprises encountering data and monitoring limitations, utilizing public LCA databases and hybrid modeling to facilitate involvement in India's domestic carbon market while preserving productivity. Results highlight mechanical process engineering as a scalable approach for CCTS credit creation and certification in the international voluntary market.