ACC adopts solar power for Kudithini and Thondebhavi grinding mills
ACC Ltd (LafargeHolcim group) has adopted the use of solar power in the cement manufacturing process at its grinding units in Kudithini and Thondebhavi in Karnataka.
The intent is to use about 30MW of solar power at these plants, which will meet over half its annual power requirement – an estimated 45m units of solar power annually. Switching to solar power will reduce CO2 emissions by 38,000t every year, the equivalent of planting 45,000 trees yearly. An assessment conducted by the Solar Energy Research Institute Singapore (SERIS) certifies this as a saving of 90,000,000l of water annually by avoiding the consumption of coal-fired electricity.
Neeraj Akhoury, managing director and CEO of ACC Ltd, said, "ACC is moving steadfastly towards a greener future. We are very conscious of our responsibilities, so this use of renewable energy is a strong step towards lowering carbon emissions thus minimising our ecological footprint. We are committed to delivering the Company’s ambitious Sustainable Development 2030 Plan."
ACC has signed a 10-year solar power purchase agreement with Amplus Solar and CleanMax Solar to purchase 20MW and 10MW of solar power, respectively. This reportedly makes ACC one of the largest users of solar power in the Indian cement industry.
