BALCO’s Energy Conservation Drive Spurs a Sustainable Start to the New Year
- The drive aimed to promote energy saving practices within the plant premises and communities
Balconagar; 2nd January 2024: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), India’s iconic aluminium producer and a unit of Vedanta Aluminium, has completed a 15-day energy conservation drive in the vicinity of its operations, forging a collective resolve to build a sustainable future in the new year. Launched on National Energy Conservation Day (14 December), the drive encompassed a series of informative and participatory activities held across several locations, including the plant premises, local communities and schools, aimed at promoting energy conservation.Together, these initiatives witnessed active participation from over 1000 people.
On the occasion, BALCO organized a special session on energy conservation for its employees, featuring Prof. Ramasamy Mahendiran, a Certified Energy Auditor at the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Government of India. He highlighted several industrial best practices for boosting energy efficiency and optimization. In addition, the company organized engaging quizzes and competitions among its employees to raise awareness about ways to reduce energy consumption in workspaces. The company also launched a carpooling drive, encouraging employees to commute to the office together and thereby reduce energy consumption. Further, employees were invited to submit innovative solutions to boost energy-efficient operations.
Extending the impact of the drive beyond the plant, BALCO also organized drawing competitions in the schools within its neighboring communities, helping to instill a spirit of sustainability among students. The company also held community awareness sessions in nearby villages, providing them with insights into easy energy-saving practices that could be adopted in their daily lives.
Speaking about the impact of the energy conservation drive, Mr. Rajesh Kumar, CEO & Director, BALCO, said, “At BALCO, we stand resolute in our commitment to creating a sustainable future for our planet. Towards this goal, we are continuously implementing energy-efficient practices as a cornerstone of our mission. The initiatives organized as part of the community drive thereby embody our pledge to foster responsible energy consumption. Through innovation, awareness, and collaboration, we are not only embracing energy efficient business practices but also inspiring a cultural shift towards a greener and more sustainable world.”
Aligned with its vision of ‘Zero Harm, Zero Waste, and Zero Discharge’, BALCO is also exploring greener options for diversifying its energy source, such as using biofuels in the heavy vehicles within its plant premises and electric forklifts for material handling and goods movement. In addition, the company has integrated graphitization into its pot lining design. This is a process that makes the properties of cathodes used in aluminium production more akin to graphite – an excellent conductor of electricity known for stability at high temperatures. It enables the cathodes, to display enhanced electrical conductivity, contributing to more energy efficient operations.
BALCO’s commitment to responsible operations has earned it several accolades. These include the ‘Sustainable Factory of the Year’ Award from Frost and Sullivan and the ‘GreenCo Silver’ rating in the CII Green Company Rating System, further highlighting the company’s deep dedication to fostering a greener future.Company Rating System, further highlighting the company’s deep dedication to fostering a greener future.
Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) is India’s iconic aluminium producer. It is owned 51% by Vedanta Limited and 49% by the Government of India. BALCO is part of Vedanta’s Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, which is India’s largest manufacturer of aluminium. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 1st in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023 world rankings for the aluminium industry, a reflection of its sustainable development practices. BALCO operates a 0.57 million tonne per annum aluminium smelter in Korba, Chhattisgarh. It is also a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. With its world-class smelter and power plants, the company fulfills its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.
About Vedanta Limited
Vedanta Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, is one of the world’s leading Oil & Gas and Metals company with significant operations in Oil & Gas, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Copper, Iron Ore, Steel, and Aluminium & Power across India, South Africa, Namibia, and Australia. For two decades, Vedanta has been contributing significantly to nation building. Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta's strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety, and environment. Giving back is in the DNA of Vedanta, which is focused on enhancing the lives of local communities. Under the aegis of Vedanta Cares, the flagship social impact program, Nand Ghars have been set up as model anganwadis focused on eradicating child malnutrition, providing education, healthcare, and empowering women with skill development. Vedanta and its group companies have been featured in Dow Jones Sustainability Index 2020, and were conferred Frost & Sullivan Sustainability Awards 2020, CII Environmental Best Practices Award 2020, CSR Health Impact Award 2020, CII National Award 2020 for Excellence in Water Management, CII Digital Transformation Award 2020, ICSI National Award 2020 for excellence in Corporate Governance, People First HR Excellence Award 2020, ‘Company with Great Managers 2020’ by People Business and certified as a Great Place to Work 2021. Vedanta’s flagship Nand Ghar Project was identified as best CSR project by the Government of Rajasthan. Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange in India and has ADRs listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
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