Vedanta Aluminium sweeps awards for fly-ash utilization
17th May 2022
- Scores a hattrick at the 11th edition of Fly Ash Utilization Conference Expo Awards by Mission Energy Foundation
New Delhi; 17th May 2022: Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, has scored a hattrick of awards at the 11th edition of Fly Ash Utilization Conference Expo Awards by Mission Energy Foundation for efficient management of fly-ash. Vedanta Power Plants at Jharsuguda (Odisha) won in the >=500 MW and <=500 MW categories respectively, and Vedanta’s Chhattisgarh-based subsidiary BALCO won in Captive Power Plant category. Around 160 companies participated in the competition, and Vedanta Aluminium led the way for its significant steps in ensure gainful utilization of fly-ash in circular economy avenues.
Fly-ash is a by-product of thermal power generation using coal, which caters to electricity requirement of Vedanta’s aluminium smelters. The inherent properties of fly-ash find impactful usage in the cement, construction & infrastructure industries, to offer three-fold benefits in terms of cost, quality and sustainability. The company supplies fly ash from its Jharsuguda and BALCO plants to cement industry for the production of low-carbon ‘green’ cement. Besides improving product quality, in cement manufacturing, every tonne of fly-ash used can help save around 700-800 kg of carbon emissions, 4.2 million KJ of energy, and 341 litres of water.
Similarly, Vedanta Aluminium is working with hundreds of local brick manufacturing MSMEs near its operations in Odisha and Chhattisgarh, transitioning them away from mud bricks. Bricks made of fly-ash are not only lighter and stronger than traditional clay bricks, but also play a crucial role in preserving nutrient-rich topsoil from being used as raw material. This amounts to estimated savings of 1.9 metric tonnes of topsoil for every tonne of ash brick manufactured. Besides, ash brick manufacturing is an eco-efficient process, contrary to the energy-intensive process of producing clay bricks in brick kilns that results in substantial greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, for every tonne of ash bricks manufactured, an estimated 5900 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions are avoided. It also makes for a healthier working environment for those involved in the brick manufacturing process.
The company has also entered a long-term partnership with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for building greener roads with fly-ash in Odisha. To find out innovative ways of utilizing this industrial by product, Vedanta Aluminium also conducts technical & business workshops with global waste utilization experts to create greater awareness on the benefits of using fly-ash in cement construction and develop the market for such products. Through these avenues the company has utilized nearly 2.8 lakh tonnes of fly-ash in cement production and supplied 2.7 lakh tonnes for brick manufacturing in FY22.
Speaking about Vedanta Aluminium’s approach to sustainable development, Mr. Rahul Sharma, CEO – Aluminium Business, Vedanta Ltd., said, “With our climate at a tipping point, our mission, as India’s largest producer of aluminium, is to build a tomorrow where the nature thrives, and the future of our next generations is promised. Effective management of industrial waste streams like fly ash through collaborative action between various stakeholders, can result in decarbonizing the entire ecosystem. With the belief that these changes are just innovative science, robust engineering and effective management of resources, Vedanta Aluminium has redoubled its efforts to utilize 100% of its by-products in gainful ways. These awards stand testimony to our efforts in that direction.”
Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.26 million tonnes in FY22. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. 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. www.vedantaaluminium.com
About Vedanta Limited:
Vedanta Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, is one of the world’s leading Oil & Gas and Metals company with significant operations in Oil & Gas, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Copper, Iron Ore, Steel, and Aluminium & Power across India, South Africa and Namibia. For two decades, Vedanta has been contributing significantly to nation building. Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta's strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety, and environment. Vedanta has put in place a comprehensive framework to be the ESG leader in the natural resources sector. Vedanta is committed to reducing carbon emissions to zero by 2050 or sooner and has pledged $5 billion over the next 10 years to accelerate the transition to net zero operations. Giving back is in the DNA of Vedanta, which is focused on enhancing the lives of local communities. The company’s flagship social impact program, Nand Ghars, have been set up as model anganwadis focused on eradicating child malnutrition, providing education, healthcare, and empowering women with skill development. Under the aegis of the Anil Agarwal Foundation, the umbrella entity for Vedanta’s social initiatives, the Vedanta group has pledged Rs 5000 crore over the next five years on social impact programmes with a thrust on nutrition, women & child development, healthcare, animal welfare, and grass-root level sports. Vedanta and the group companies have been featured in Dow Jones Sustainability Index, and was conferred Frost & Sullivan Sustainability Awards 2020, Golden Peacock Award for excellence in Corporate Governance 2022 and certified as a Great Place to Work 2022. Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange.
For more information, please visit www.vedantalimited.com
About Vedanta Aluminium Business:
Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.29 million tonnes in FY23. 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, a reflection of its leading sustainable development practices. 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.
For more information, please log on to www.vedantaaluminium.com
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