Hindustan Zinc, India’s largest and the world’s second-largest integrated zinc producer, has announced the commencement of the first phase of renewable energy integration from Serentica Renewables. Serentica, a leading renewable energy developer focused on commercial and industrial (C&I) sectors in India, has begun supplying green power from its 180 MW solar project to Hindustan Zinc’s operations in Rajasthan. This marks a significant milestone in Hindustan Zinc’s commitment to sustainability and decarbonisation.
Recognised as the world’s most sustainable metals and mining company by the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023, Hindustan Zinc continues to lead in sustainability initiatives. The company has entered into Power Delivery Agreements (PDAs) with Serentica for the supply of 450 MW of round-the-clock (RE-RTC) power, ensuring reliable and sustainable energy across its key business units.
This initiative is a pioneering effort within the Vedanta Group, to which Hindustan Zinc belongs. The renewable power from Serentica will significantly increase the proportion of green energy in Hindustan Zinc’s overall energy mix. Currently, Hindustan Zinc has a captive solar power capacity of 40.70 MW and relies on conventional fuel sources for the rest of its power needs. The new renewable power supply from Serentica will help reduce approximately 0.45 million tons of CO2 emissions annually.
Arun Misra, CEO of Hindustan Zinc and Executive Director of Vedanta, stated, “At Hindustan Zinc, sustainability is the guiding principle shaping every business decision. We remain proactive in investing in our climate action initiatives, progressing on our journey to net zero by 2050 or sooner. This project will not only reduce our dependency on conventional fuels and minimise our total environmental footprint but also aid our transformation towards decarbonising our operations, paving the way for a fully sustainable future.”
Serentica’s Bikaner power park, spanning over 1,200 acres, is a crucial part of its Round-The-Clock strategy, involving multi-location solar and wind energy installations. This 180 MW solar park will ensure a consistent and reliable green power supply to Hindustan Zinc’s operations. Cumulatively, the project will reduce around 2.7 million tons of CO2 emissions annually, significantly contributing to India’s sustainability agenda.
Akshay Hiranandani, CEO of Serentica Renewables, remarked, “The successful and ahead-of-schedule commissioning of Phase 1 (solar) in Bikaner exemplifies Serentica’s commitment to accelerating India’s clean energy transformation. This project represents a significant leap forward in delivering large-scale renewable energy solutions for decarbonising industries at scale. We look forward to completing the wind park and showcasing the full potential of our groundbreaking multi-location hybrid model.”
In 2022, Hindustan Zinc joined the global movement to make India ‘Net Zero’ and set an ambitious target for a 50% reduction in carbon footprint (scope 1 & 2) by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The company recorded a 14% decrease in greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity compared to the base year 2020 through increased operational efficiencies and advanced technologies while increasing production each year. Hindustan Zinc’s energy stewardship initiatives have already enabled its operations at Pantnagar Metal Plant to run on 100% green power. Additionally, the company has deployed battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in its underground mines and initiated the deployment of 180 LNG vehicles and EV trucks for logistics to reduce Scope-3 emissions by 25% by 2030.
This integration of renewable energy from Serentica marks a pivotal step for Hindustan Zinc towards achieving its sustainability goals and sets a benchmark for the industry in adopting green energy solutions.
