The Business Bytes
THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, JANUARY 17, 2025
Hindalco Industries Ltd., the metals flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, has taken a significant leap toward sustainability with the launch of Electric Vehicle (EV) bulkers at its Aditya Aluminium plant in Odisha. These vehicles will be used to transport one million tonnes of fly ash to the cement industry over the next five years. In addition, the company has unveiled two EV charging stations near the fly ash loading point, further solidifying its commitment to green transportation and sustainable operations.
The shift to electric vehicles is expected to result in a reduction of 3,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually and save Hindalco Rs 1.5 crore in freight costs. As part of its ongoing global sustainability drive, the company aims to gradually replace its entire fleet of diesel vehicles with EVs across all its plants in India. This initiative is in line with Hindalco’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions and reducing Scope-3 emissions, while also promoting a circular economy by extracting value from waste.
Fly ash, which constitutes around 35 per cent of the volume in cement production, is a key by-product of Hindalco’s operations. The company already supplies approximately 4 million tonnes of fly ash annually to the cement industry from its various plants across India.
Kailash Pandey, Head – Sambalpur Cluster at Hindalco, emphasized the company’s environmental commitment, saying, “By adopting greener transportation options for supplying waste materials to be used as raw material in another industry, we are one step closer to realizing our vision of zero-waste alumina production across our operations. Each step we take towards sustainability helps reduce our environmental footprint, and every milestone brings us closer to a logistics operation that is not only efficient but also responsible, aligning with our vision for a sustainable future.”
Sukanta Das, President & Chief Logistics Officer at Hindalco, added, “This is an important milestone for us as we introduce the first set of Electric Vehicles (EVs) into our transportation fleet. These EVs will play a pivotal role in transporting fly ash to the cement industry, contributing to a greener transportation system and supporting the circular economy.”
The company is also focused on expanding its use of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Electric Vehicles in road transport while ramping up its rail transport capabilities by connecting new mines and plant locations to the Indian Railways network. These efforts further solidify Hindalco’s leadership in sustainable practices and carbon reduction, reinforcing its commitment to a greener future.
Beyond fly ash, Hindalco plays an essential role in promoting the circular economy by supplying various waste materials, including ETP sludge, red mud, spent pot liner, and FGD waste, which are used in the production of blended cements such as PPC (Portland Pozzolana Cement) and composite cements. Additionally, the company supplies 140,000 metric tonnes of copper slag for use in manufacturing ready-mix concrete, replacing sand.
Hindalco’s dedication to climate action and emission reduction is also evident in its broader sustainability initiatives, including a 100 MW round-the-clock carbon-free power project for its Odisha smelter, which earned the prestigious ‘Energy Transition Changemaker’ award at COP28.
Hindalco Industries Ltd. is the metals flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, a $26 billion global powerhouse. It is the world’s largest aluminium company by revenues and the second-largest copper rods manufacturer (outside China). Hindalco is India’s largest copper producer, fulfilling more than half the country’s copper demand. The company operates a world-class copper smelter and refinery complex in Gujarat, as well as downstream facilities and a captive jetty.
With a global footprint spanning 52 manufacturing units across 10 countries, Hindalco has been ranked the world’s most sustainable aluminium company for four consecutive years (2020-2023) in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI).
