The green initiative undertaken by Hindustan Zinc, part of the Vedanta Group, has resulted in an annual saving of Rs 280 crore.
The company generates wind energy of 273.5 MW across five States, including Gujarat (88.8 MW) and Karnataka (49.40 MW), Rajasthan (88.8 MW), Maharashtra (25.5 MW) and Tamil Nadu (21 MW).
The wind energy project is registered under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) programme by the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change and earns carbon credits, which can be sold to generate revenue.
Hindustan Zinc produces 34.4 MW through waste heat recovery from its roasters.
Besides wind projects, the company’s 9.4 MW waste heat recovery steam turbine generation and 21 TPH Low Calorific Value Gas boilers for steam generation projects are also registered for carbon credits.
The CD- registered project has helped Hindustan Zinc reduce carbon footprint by 583,685 tonnes of carbon dioxide emission (t CO2e) a year. It has also reduced carbon footprint by 116,992 t CO2e from initiatives other than the registered CDM projects.
Akhilesh Joshi, Chief Executive Officer, said the company’s plant in Rajasthan does not discharge any waste and efforts are being made for gainful utilisation of waste generated at its mines, smelters and power plants.
“The economic benefits derived from green projects are just a by-product. For instance, we have over 1.3 million green plantation cover at the company's premises in Udaipur,” he added.
The company, which produces zinc, lead and silver, recently installed its first adiabatic cooling towers at a cost of about Rs 40 crore to reduce water wastage by evaporation. Besides reducing water loss by almost 80 per cent by operating in a closed circuit, it also reduces consumption of fresh water. Claiming that funding is not going to be an issue as far as green projects go, Joshi said the company is in the process of constructing a 20- million-litre a day sewage treatment plant in Udaipur at a cost of Rs 170 crore.
“This sewage treatment plant is a significant step towards the conservation of water and care for the environment by cleaning the Ahar river, thereby improving the overall health and hygiene of Udaipur city,” he said.