Vedanta Aluminium, the largest aluminum producer in India, achieved a new breakthrough in the design of a new potlining technology for its aluminum smelters. The Vedanta Lining Design is a patented, energy-efficient technique that reduces energy consumption by 200–250 KWh per tonne of aluminum produced, providing increased energy efficiency and enhanced lifespan of the smelting pots.
“At Vedanta Aluminium, climate action is a key strategic pillar and business imperative, executed through a two-pronged strategy of mitigation and offsetting of our carbon footprint,” said John Slaven, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium. “Energy management and conservation is an integral aspect of this entire effort, and we are therefore focused on leading the charge in this aspect within the aluminum industry. These include optimizing energy consumption and 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 aluminum 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, to display enhanced electrical conductivity, contributing to more energy efficiency and sustainable operations. The deployment is nearing completion in both smelter locations.
The new lining technique was designed using numerical computational modeling techniques that simulate electrical and thermal behavior within the smelting pots. After a successful year-long trial, the design is now ready to be deployed across the company’s smelters, including Vedanta Jharsuguda in Odisha, one of the largest aluminum smelters in the world (outside of China), and Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO) in Korba, Chhattisgarh. Once it has been successfully implemented across the Jharsuguda smelter, the new lining technology is projected to reduce GHG emissions by up to 386,000 t CO2e per year.
On National Energy Conservation Day (December 14th, 2023), Vedanta’s lining innovation was recognized by the Ministry of Power’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), as part of its National Energy Efficiency Innovation Awards 2023.
Energy Conservation Efforts
Vedanta Aluminium also launched its second annual Climate Action Report, which was produced in alignment with the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), a set of guidelines to help companies disclose climate-related financial risks and opportunities to their stakeholders. The detailed report transparently outlines the comprehensive approach undertaken by Vedanta to achieve its sustainability targets in the short, medium, and long term.
The company has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and has implemented a series of impactful energy conservation measures in FY23, achieving a total of 1.4 million GJ of energy savings. By 2025, the company plans to derive 7% of its total power consumption from renewables, utilizing 1.37 billion units of renewable energy in FY23 alone — equivalent to power generation of approximately 150 MW from a thermal power plant.
Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminum, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminum (i.e., 2.29 million tonnes) in FY23. It is a leader in value-added aluminum products that find critical applications in core industries. With its world-class aluminum smelters, alumina refinery, and power plants in India, the company believes that it is fulfilling its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminum as the “Metal of the Future” for a greener tomorrow.