Interviews

“We are currently in a transformative growth phase, setting the stage for a disruptive revolution across our assets, employees, and operational integration,” Rahul Sharma, CEO, Vedanta Ltd – Aluminium Business

INTERVIEWEE
interview Image
Category
Interview
Date
31-May-2023
Source
AL Circle
Edited By
Debanjali Sengupta
Detail

We are honoured to have a one-on-one interview with Mr Rahul Sharma, CEO of Vedanta Limited – Aluminium Business, wherein he explained the features and functionalities of the newly installed IIoT devices at their 2400 MW Thermal Power Plant. He has also described how the devices can curb carbon emissions, improving air quality. He has also discussed Vedanta’s green brands Restora & Restora Ultra while revealing their long-term net-zero emission goals.

To know about it all, read the interview below: 

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AL Circle: Congratulations on installing Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices at your thermal power plant. Please enlighten us on the functionalities of devices towards resisting carbon emissions.

Rahul Sharma: Being among the world’s top players and India’s largest aluminium producer, we took a significant step towards enhancing emissions control at our 2400 MW Thermal Power Plant. By integrating Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices into fabric filters, we bolstered efforts to capture particulate matter and improve air quality. These fabric filters, strategically placed after electrostatic precipitators in chimneys, prevent harmful emissions from escaping into the atmosphere by collecting particulate matter from the power plant's hot gas. The incorporation of IIoT devices enables precise monitoring of the bags' differential pressure, a crucial factor in optimizing filter efficiency. This step is a testament to our commitment to shift from traditional measurement methods to hi-tech solutions, allowing for immediate action to maintain stringent emissions control standards.

AL Circle: Do you plan to invest in more technologies such as IIoT devices in the near future?

Rahul Sharma: We are currently in a transformative growth phase, setting the stage for a disruptive revolution across our assets, employees, and operational integration. Through Vedanta Spark, our start-up incubation programme, we are collaborating with tech start-ups to develop in-house innovations for business challenges and then industrialise viable projects. With a resolute vision to become the world's leading and most sustainable aluminium producer, the company is strategically investing in Industry 4.0 and Web3 technologies to achieve manufacturing excellence.

AL Circle: Please elaborate on other technology-driven solutions you have implemented in your operations.

Rahul Sharma: By deploying GPS-enabled tracking and machine learning models trained on near-real-time satellite imagery, we effectively monitor and optimize the routes of vehicles delivering coal to our power plants, reducing instances of pilferage during transportation, including illegal replacement of high-quality coal by low-quality coal enroute to destination, and ensuring greater control over coal movement and quality. This approach has minimized transportation time and curbed losses in the gross calorific value (the amount of heat released upon coal combustion), leading to improved operational efficiency and energy security. Additionally, Vedanta Aluminium has achieved a breakthrough in product quality for its rolled aluminium products. Rolled aluminium products are used in the building & construction, packaging and automotive industries amongst others. Through historical performance tracking and the implementation of statistical modelling techniques, the company has gained insights into improving process efficiencies in its Non-Reversible Cold Rolling Mill. Real-time data analytics and statistical recommendations have facilitated the correction of operational biases and enabled shift-wise tracking of key performance indicators (KPIs). As a result, Vedanta Aluminium ensures consistent, high-quality products through significantly improved manufacturing processes.

AL Circle: How has Restora helped Vedanta Aluminium in reducing carbon footprint goals during FY23?

Rahul Sharma: Our ‘green’ brand, Restora, is revolutionizing the aluminium industry by meeting the surging global demand for low-carbon-footprint aluminium. An increasing number of aluminium customers across diverse industries are looking to reduce their carbon footprint across the entire value chain. They are interested in the provenance of the raw materials they use. This is where our Restora brand is seeing an increasing uptake. Manufactured using renewable energy sources, Restora boasts an impressively low greenhouse gas emission intensity, well below the global threshold of 4 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per tonne of aluminium produced.

Moreover, its sibling product Restora Ultra is taking sustainability to greater heights. Restora Ultra, made with aluminium recovered from dross (a by-product of aluminium smelting), has an even lower carbon footprint that is near zero and is amongst the lowest in the world. The product exemplifies our commitment to zero waste and top-notch operational efficiencies. With Restora and Restora Ultra, we empower our customers to create greener products and decarbonize their value chains.

We are ramping up our green aluminium production capacity by partnering with various renewable power suppliers, with a vision to provide over 1300 MW of renewable power to our aluminium smelters. Restora is not just a brand; it represents our dedication to sustainability and our drive to reshape the aluminium industry for a greener future.

AL Circle: Please share your net-zero carbon emission goals and plans towards achieving them in aluminium production.

Rahul Sharma: In our unwavering commitment to sustainability, we have set ambitious goals of achieving Net Zero Carbon by 2050 and becoming water positive by 2030. Our comprehensive strategy involves both mitigation and offsetting measures to drive carbon reduction. Through manufacturing excellence, we prioritize energy conservation, increase the quantum of renewable energy in our overall energy mix, and transition to low-carbon fuels. To offset our carbon footprint, we have embarked on extensive afforestation projects, creating vast carbon sinks around our operations. These efforts have resulted in a remarkable 24% reduction in greenhouse gas intensity in just 10 years from FY2012 to FY 2022, despite a significant eightfold increase in production.

Our laser-focused approach revolves around key sustainability pillars such as carbon reduction, energy conservation, air quality, water footprint, circular waste management, and biodiversity. We ensure sustainability is deeply ingrained throughout our entire value chain, from sourcing raw materials to delivering the final product, with climate action at the core of our growth journey. Our commitment to these principles has been recognized through our remarkable achievement of being ranked 2nd in the S&P Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) 2022 world rankings for the aluminium industry. This solidifies our position as the second most sustainable aluminium producer globally. At Vedanta Aluminium, we are not only setting bold targets but taking concrete actions to create a sustainable future, leaving a positive impact on the environment and society.

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