NEW DELHI (India CSR): Marking Energy Conservation Week, initiated by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, announced achieving an impressive 1.3 million Giga Joules (GJ) of energy savings through innovative measures aimed at enhancing energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The company achieved a remarkable 10.16% reduction in GHG intensity against the 2021 baseline, positioning it as a frontrunner in the global effort to reduce carbon emissions. Further driving its sustainability agenda, the company announced sourcing 1.3 GW of renewable energy, marking a major step towards cleaner, more sustainable operations.
1. Sustainability Initiatives in Potline Operations
Vedanta Aluminium has implemented several key initiatives to enhance sustainability and operational efficiency in its potlines, where molten aluminium is produced from alumina through electrolysis. These initiatives include installing graphitized cathode enhancements to reduce current consumption, lower GHG emissions, and improve operational efficiency. The company has also deployed indigenously-developed Vedanta pot controllers that reduce energy use by 200–250 kWh per tonne of aluminium. Moreover, the company has reduced specific coal consumption in its power plants to cut GHG emissions and enhance power efficiency. By optimizing smelting processes to promote energy-efficient operations, Vedanta Aluminium is promoting sustainable industrial practices as part of its broader sustainability goals.
2. Leadership Insight on Energy Management
Commenting on these activities, Sunil Gupta, Chief Operating Officer, Vedanta Aluminium, said, “At Vedanta Aluminium, energy management is central to our net-zero journey. Innovations like the patented ‘Vedanta Lining Design’ for smelting pots and expanding renewable energy adoption, are enhancing our efficiency and lowering carbon emissions. Ranking 1st in the S&P Global Sustainability Assessment for the year 2023 reflects our belief that industrial progress must go hand-in-hand with environmental responsibility. Energy Conservation Week reaffirms our resolve to pioneer sustainable practices for a greener future.”
3. Energy Conservation at Key Facilities
At its refinery operations in Lanjigarh, Odisha, boilers were replaced with advanced graphitized pots to enhance energy conservation. At its smelter operations in Jharsuguda, Odisha, the company successfully reduced cathode voltage drop and implemented Voltage Drop (VLD) measures in pots, improving both performance and energy efficiency. Similarly, at its BALCO smelter in Korba, Chhattisgarh, cathode relining and graphitization initiatives were executed, significantly boosting energy efficiency across the facility.
4. Employee Engagement and Training
Moreover, to sensitise employees, Vedanta Aluminium has implemented a comprehensive energy efficiency training initiative across its operations. By engaging its extensive employee base through various awareness initiatives, the company seeks to optimize energy use, while adhering to international standards such as ISO 50001 for Energy Management.
5. Industry Leadership in Aluminium Production
Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.37 million tonnes in FY24. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 1st in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023 world rankings for the aluminium industry. With its world-class aluminium smelters, alumina refinery and power plants in India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.
(India CSR)
