Vedanta Aluminium Secures 1335 MW Renewable Energy Contract, Pledges to Go Green
According to Vedanta Aluminium, it has negotiated long-term power delivery contracts to obtain 1335 MW of renewable energy to run its operations. On the occasion of Akshay Urja Diwas, the company made the statement.
As a result of the agreements, Vedanta Aluminium will operate in Odisha and Chhattisgarh using a combination of solar and wind energy. The company will be able to lower its emissions of greenhouse gases as a result. According to the company, its annual CO2 reduction of 3.2 million tonnes will be “substantial” in light of its decarbonization initiatives.
What is the Akshay Urja Diwas?
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy introduced the Akshay Urja Diwas as a unique program in 2004. The organization’s goal is to promote the use of renewable energy sources through technological advancement and decentralized power generation. The initiative’s main goal is to increase the usage of renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and biofuels.
The business wants to run its operations with biofuels as well. The company has begun using biomass pellets and briquettes made from agricultural waste to power its activities. These biofuels have been used throughout its activities, notably at Lanjigarh, BALCO (Chhattisgarh), and Jharsuguda, which is also “home to one of the largest aluminum smelters in the world” (Odisha). Lanjigarh is home to Vedanta Aluminium’s top-tier alumina refinery.
The company has used 11.29 KT of biofuels during the last two years, which has resulted in a decrease of 16.07 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Decarbonising efforts
The company said it is working on a three-pronged strategy to decarbonize its operations as part of its goal on achieving Net Zero by 2050. In order to lower its energy usage, Vedanta Aluminium is increasing the proportion of renewable energy in its energy mix and improving operational efficiency. It is also switching to greener, lower-carbon fuels and technology.
The company asserts that it is the first in India to provide its international clientele with low-carbon, “green” aluminum under the brands Restora and Restora Ultra. Many of these clients are concerned with guaranteeing the environmentally friendly provenance of their materials. The company ranked as India’s top industrial consumer of renewable energy in the fiscal year 2022. Around 3 billion units were bought.
Vedanta Aluminium listed its several accomplishments and said that during the previous fiscal year, it successfully saved more than 1.36 million gigajoules of energy. Also, it has begun operating the largest fleet of electric forklifts powered by lithium-ion batteries in the nation, which has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 1,600 tonnes per year.
Vedanta Aluminium placed second in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) 2022 global rankings for the aluminum industry.
What is Net Zero and why it is important for Indian Economy?