Shift to renewable energy: Vedanta uses biomass briquettes in fuel mix for Lanjigarh alumina refinery

Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest aluminium producer, has started deploying a greener fuel mix composed of biomass briquettes for renewable energy source at its world-class alumina refinery in Lanjigarh, Odisha. The company currently uses 20 tonnes of the new fuel mix per day as a significant move towards achieving Net Zero Carbon by 2050 or sooner. 

Biomass briquettes are a biofuel substitute made of biodegradable green waste with lower emissions of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide than traditional fuel sources. So, using this new fuel mix will help Vedanta decrease greenhouse gas emissions from its refinery by more than 10,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent each year. In addition, shifting to this fuel will also reduce the company’s reliance on fossil fuels. 

“As India works towards integrating cleaner and more sustainable energy systems, the strategic deployment of biomass co-firing within our operations can play a crucial role in achieving emission reduction goals and supporting rural economies. It forms a critical part of our strategy to evaluate emerging technologies towards decarbonising our operations,” said Pranab Kumar Bhattacharyya, CEO - Alumina Business, Vedanta Ltd.

Besides this initiative, Vedanta Aluminium is sourcing renewable energy for its nation-wide operations. The company has already entered into a long-term power delivery agreement to obtain 1335 MW of renewable energy. Vedanta has also conducted trial runs of biodiesel as a green fuel alternative for its fleet of commercial vehicles.