National Energy Conservation Day: Vedanta Aluminium announces energy efficiency breakthrough via patented potlining technology
By Dr Rama Chandra Behera
Bhubaneswar, Dec.15 : On National Energy Conservation Day, Vedanta Aluminium, the largest aluminium producer in India,announces a significant new breakthroughin the lining design of the ‘pots’at its aluminium smelters.These smelters house several potlines, which are long buildings within the smelter that contain a series of ‘pots’, or large electrolytic cells, within which aluminium production via smelting is carried out. The ‘Vedanta Lining Design’ is a patented, energy-efficient technique that provides the dual advantages of increased energy efficiency and enhanced lifespan of the smelting pots, reducing energy consumption by 200 to 250KWh per tonne of aluminium produced.
The innovation hasalso been recognised by the Ministry of Power’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE),as part of its National Energy Efficiency Innovation Awards (NEEIA) 2023, in the presence of theHon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu.On the occasion of National Energy Conservation Day, this prestigious recognition comes as a strongreaffirmation ofthe company’s commitment to championing energy efficiency and conservationthrough transformative innovations within the global aluminium industry.Its initiatives in this regard also closely align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals ofIndustry, Innovation & Infrastructure (SDG9), Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG12) and Climate Action (SDG13).
The new lining technique was designed using numerical computational modelling techniques that simulate electrical and thermal behaviour within the smelting pots.After a successful year-long trial, the design is now ready to be deployed across its smelters, including Vedanta Jharsuguda in Odisha, one of the largestaluminium smeltersin the world, and at BALCO, India’s iconic aluminium smelter based in Korba, Chhattisgarh. It is projected to reduce GHG emissions by up to 3.86 lakh tCO2e (tons of carbon dioxide equivalent) generated per annum on complete deployment at its largest smelter in Jharsuguda alone.
Vedanta Aluminium has also launched its second annual Climate Action Report, aligned with theTask Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). The TCFD framework comprises a set of guidelines to help companies disclose climate-related financial risks and opportunities to their stakeholders.The detailed reporttransparently outlines the comprehensive approach undertaken byVedanta Aluminium to achieving its sustainability targets in the short, medium, and long term.
The complete report is available on the company’s website and can be accessed via the followinglink: https://vedantaaluminium.com/sustainability/sustainability-report/
Commenting on the company’s energy conservation efforts, Mr. John Slaven, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium, said, “At Vedanta Aluminium, climate action is a key strategic pillar and business imperative,executed through a two-pronged strategy of mitigation andoffsetting of our carbon footprint. Energy management and conservation is an integral aspect of this entire effort, and weare therefore focused on leading the charge in this aspectwithin the aluminium industry.These include optimizing energy consumptionand transitioning to sustainable energy alternatives, thereby setting new benchmarks in responsible production across the industry value chain.”
As part of its innovation, the company has also successfully integrated graphitization into its pot lining design, a process that makes the properties of the cathodes used in aluminium production more akin to graphite – an excellent conductor of electricity known for its stability at high temperatures. The process enables the cathodes, crucial to the smelting process, display enhanced electrical conductivity, contributing to more energy efficiency and sustainable operations. The deployment is nearing completion in both smelter locations.
Vedanta Aluminiumhas committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, implementing a series of impactful energy conservation measures in FY23 and achieved a total amount of 1.4 million gigajoules (GJ) energy savings. By 2025, the company plans to derive 7% of its total power consumption from renewables,utilising 1.37 billion units of renewable energy in FY23 alonewhich is equivalent to power generation of approximately 150 MW from a thermal power plant.
