Group 1 - The steel industry in China experienced a total profit increase of 63.26% year-on-year in the first half of the year, indicating better-than-expected overall performance [2][3] - The national crude steel production reached 515 million tons, a decrease of 3.0% year-on-year, aligning with national industrial regulation policies [3] - The China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) reported that the production of crude steel from major steel enterprises decreased by 3.7% year-on-year, maintaining low steel inventory and a basic balance between supply and demand [3] Group 2 - Over 700 million tons of steel production capacity in China achieved ultra-low emissions in the first half of the year [4][5] - Some steel plants utilized carbon dioxide to produce industrial products, while others used waste heat for seawater desalination [5] - A demonstration project in Ningbo Steel captures carbon dioxide from flue gas to produce dry ice, reducing carbon emissions by 10,000 tons annually [7] Group 3 - A large seawater desalination facility in Tangshan operates efficiently, producing 35,000 tons of fresh water daily, powered entirely by waste heat from the steel plant [9] - The facility's process achieves a power generation efficiency of 47% and an overall thermal efficiency of 81.5%, contributing to a carbon reduction of 400,000 tons annually [9] - In the first half of the year, energy-saving and environmental protection investments by key steel enterprises accounted for 28.9%, with total energy consumption decreasing by 1.5% year-on-year [11]