Hindustan Zinc Commences First Phase of Renewable Energy Integration with Serentica Renewables on Global Energy Independence Day

On Global Energy Independence Day, Hindustan Zinc, India’s largest and the world’s second-largest integrated zinc producer, announced the launch of the first phase of renewable energy integration from Serentica Renewables, a leading C&I-focused renewable energy provider in India. This initiative marks a significant step towards decarbonizing Hindustan Zinc’s operations in Rajasthan.

As per the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023, Hindustan Zinc is recognized as the world’s most sustainable metals and mining company. The company had entered into Power Delivery Agreements (PDAs) with Serentica for the supply of 450 MW of round-the-clock (RE-RTC) power, ensuring operational reliability and sustainability across its key business units. Serentica has now begun supplying renewable energy to Hindustan Zinc from its 180 MW solar project, a pioneering move within the Vedanta group.

This renewable integration will substantially increase the share of green energy in Hindustan Zinc’s overall energy mix, which currently includes 40.70 MW of captive solar power alongside conventional fuel sources. The initiative is expected to annually reduce approximately 0.45 million tons of CO2 emissions.

Serentica’s Bikaner power park, an integral part of its Round-The-Clock strategy, spans over 1,200 acres and will provide consistent green power to Hindustan Zinc’s operations. The project is expected to reduce around 2.7 million tons of CO2 emissions annually, contributing significantly to India’s sustainability agenda.

Arun Misra, CEO of Hindustan Zinc, 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 minimize our total environmental footprint but also aid our transformation towards decarbonizing our operations, paving the way for a fully sustainable future.”

Akshay Hiranandani, CEO of Serentica Renewables, commented, “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 decarbonizing 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 of a 50% reduction in carbon footprint (Scope 1 & 2) by 2030 and achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2050 by transitioning towards renewable energy. Hindustan Zinc recorded a 14% decrease in greenhouse gas emission intensity compared to the base year 2020 through increased operational efficiencies and use of advanced technologies, while increasing production each year. The company’s energy stewardship initiatives have already made its operations at Pantnagar Metal Plant 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 in logistics for inbound and outbound transportation as a step towards reducing Scope-3 emissions by 25% by 2030.

Hindustan Zinc Limited , a Vedanta Group company, is the world’s second-largest integrated zinc producer and the third-largest silver producer. The company supplies to more than 40 countries and holds a market share of about 75% of the primary zinc market in India. Hindustan Zinc has been recognized as the world’s most sustainable company in the metals and mining category by the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023, reflecting its operational excellence, innovation, and leading ESG practices. Hindustan Zinc is also a certified 2.41 times Water-Positive company and is committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050 or sooner. As a world leader in the metals and mining industry, Hindustan Zinc is pivotal in providing critical metals essential for the global energy transition towards a sustainable future.