Successful biodiesel tests for commercial vehicles conducted at Vedanta-Lanjigarh

By Chandrasekhar Panda

Lanjigarh, feb. 22: Vedanta Lanjigarh, India’s premier producer of metallurgical grade alumina, is exploring applications of biodiesel across plant operations as a part of its strategy to decarbonize its operations. The company claims to have successfully conducted trial runs of using biodiesel as a ‘green’ fuel alternative for its fleet of commercial vehicles.

Increasing the use of biofuels in its operations is a strategic move in the company’s journey to achieve net zero carbon by 2050 or sooner. A similar initiative has been earlier rolled out at BALCO, the company’s unit in Korba, Chhattisgarh.

Biodiesel is a form of ‘green’ fuel derived from biomass and a renewable substitute for petroleum-derived diesel which, when burned, contributes to far lower greenhouse gas emissions, as compared to conventional and non-renewable fuels.

Using biodiesel as a vehicle fuel increases operational efficiency while making substantial contributions to reducing carbon emissions and fuel consumption. The company has also inducted 3-ton and 5-ton electric forklifts at its world-class alumina refinery in Lanjigarh, Odisha, adding to a fleet of 44 electric lithium-ion forklifts across its operations in Odisha and Chhattisgarh – the largest in the country.

Vedanta Aluminium has committed to decarbonizing 100% of its Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) fleet by 2030 and 75 per cent of its mining fleet by 2035, aligning closely with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG7), which focuses on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy.

Speaking about Vedanta Lanjigarh’s climate action endeavours, Pranab Kumar Bhattacharyya, CEO – Alumina Business Vedanta Ltd said, “At Vedanta Aluminium, we have adopted a two-pronged approach to climate action which includes reducing our carbon footprint and offsetting emissions. Transitioning to greener fuels is a stride towards reducing our carbon footprint. By substantially reducing the proportion of diesel needed to power commercial vehicles, Vedanta Lanjigarh is determined to take the lead in incorporating sustainability in every aspect of its business. This forms a critical part of our strategy to evaluate and deploy emerging technologies towards decarbonising our operations and strengthen our position as an ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) leader.”

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Photograph:  Biofuel pilot launch at Vedanta-Lanjigarh in Odisha