Bhubaneswar, July 2: Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, has won the prestigious Kalinga Energy Excellence Award and Kalinga Environment Excellence Award for its alumina refinery unit at Lanjigarh, Kalahandi district.
These awards were presented by the Institute of Quality and Environment Managemen (IQEMS) in association with the Odisha State Pollution Control Board and the Institute of Public Enterprise, Hyderabad.
Vedanta’s Lanjigarh unit, India's premier producer of smelter-grade alumina, has undertaken multiple initiatives as part of Vedanta Aluminium's sustainability goals such as Net Zero Carbon by 2050, Net Water Positivity by 2030, effective waste management, biodiversity restoration and adoption of energy-efficient technologies across operations. The company's sustainability initiatives have been acknowledged at the highest forums with Vedanta Aluminium scored top at the S&P Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) rankings for the assessment period 2023.
Commenting on the achievement, John Slaven, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium, said, "Our success in energy efficiency and environmental conservation, driven by our commitment to sustainable operations, is reflected in our numerous accolades. Balancing increased operational efficiency with a sustainable value chain is a top priority in our decision-making process. These achievements underscore our relentless pursuit of excellence through a sustainable business model, bolstering the transformational journey of Vedanta Aluminium."
Vedanta's focus on meeting the growing needs of the nation is also closely aligned with the needs of the planet. The company is contributing to the sustainable transformation of the industry through initiatives such as increasing the usage of renewable sources of energy such as use of biomass in boiler cofiring, deploying lithium-ion electric forklifts and incentivizing employees to use electric vehicles. These efforts have resulted in significant reduction in overall greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions intensity by ~9.3% in FY24 compared to the FY21 baseline, while increasing production by 20 PC.
By leveraging water reutilization and fostering a water-positive footprint through collaborative efforts with local communities and constant water-level monitoring, Vedanta Aluminium has recycled over 15 billion litres of water across operations during FY24. Also, the company has conducted systematic assessments and identified sensitive habitats and biodiversity hotspots near its plants. Recently, the company signed an MoU for implementation of nature-based solutions for biodiversity conservation and climate resilience around its operations.
Vedanta Aluminium also ensures gainful utilization of bauxite residue (a by-product of the alumina refining process) as well as fly ash (a by-product of power generation process). Bauxite residue is used for activities such as road construction around operational areas, soil consolidation in wick drain development by combining it with fly ash and supplying it as raw material to the cement industry, resulting in the utilization of more than 1,00,000 metric tonnes of red mud so far. Gainful utilization of fly ash is ensured through its supply to National Highway Authority of India for construction of roadways and to brick manufacturing units run by local communities, thereby supplementing income of the villagers. These initiatives have resulted in more than 200% utilization of waste in FY23.
