UltraTech Cement Limited has announced that it plans to raise the proportion of green energy in its total energy blend to 85 per cent by 2030. As an interim goal, UltraTech aims to almost triple its current share of green energy from 22 per cent to 60 per cent by 2026. UltraTech aims to fulfill all its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2050 as part of its commitment to RE100. Being a part of EP100, UltraTech is dedicated to doubling its energy productivity. The company has undertaken various initiatives, such as transitioning to renewable energy sources and expanding waste heat recovery systems (WHRS), to enhance the proportion of green energy in its overall energy mix.
At present, the company possesses a green energy capacity of 691 MW, comprising WHRS installed capacity of 262 MW and contracted renewable energy capacity of 429 MW. Collectively, this accounts for approximately 22 per cent of UltraTech’s existing energy needs. UltraTech has embraced a comprehensive strategy to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and augment the utilisation of green and renewable energy. This strategy involves deploying emerging technologies to decrease dependence on thermal energy in production processes and promoting the adoption of sustainable transportation with logistics partners. Furthermore, UltraTech has expressed its commitment to refrain from further investments in thermal power capacity, aligning with its overarching goal to diminish reliance on fossil fuels and enhance the utilisation of green energy.
Furthermore, UltraTech consistently investigates the application of innovative technologies to expedite the decarbonisation of its operations. A recent instance of this effort is the collaboration between UltraTech and Coolbrook. Together, they are working on a project to integrate Coolbrook’s rotodynamic heaterTM (RDH) technology into one of Ultratech’s cement manufacturing units. By eliminating the need for fossil fuels and using electrification from clean sources for cement production’s heating operations, RDH technology contributes to the industry’s rapid decarbonisation. Additionally, UltraTech is investigating technologies such as carbon capture, utilisation, and storage in partnership with up and coming technology firms like CarbonOrO, Coomtech, and Fortera.
Moreover, UltraTech is implementing green logistics through the utilisation of compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) trucks. As part of the government of India’s eFAST project, UltraTech has committed to facilitating sustainable transport by pledging to install 1,000 CNG or LNG vehicles in the 40-tonne bracket and introduce 500 electric trucks by June 2025. In pursuit of this goal, UltraTech is collaborating with its logistics partners to implement CNG and LNG trucks, aiming to replace traditional diesel vehicles whenever feasible.
UltraTech started using CNG and LNG vehicles in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Today, UltraTech has more than 390 CNG trucks and 50 LNG trucks operating throughout 17 industrial units. The goal of the corporation is to quickly expand this initiative to more manufacturing sites.