Hindalco Industries Ltd., the metals division of the Aditya Birla Group, has initiated a new phase in its sustainability efforts by introducing electric vehicle (EV) bulkers at its Aditya Aluminium plant in Odisha. These vehicles will be responsible for transporting one million tonnes of fly ash to the cement industry in the region over the next five years. To support this green initiative, Hindalco has also inaugurated two EV charging stations near the fly ash loading area.
By switching to electric vehicles, Hindalco anticipates a reduction of 3,500 tonnes in carbon dioxide emissions, alongside savings of Rs 1.5 crore in freight costs. This move is part of the company’s broader strategy to transition towards carbon neutrality by replacing diesel-powered vehicles with EVs at all its plants across India. The initiative aligns with Hindalco’s sustainability goals, focusing on net-zero emissions, reducing scope-3 emissions, and promoting a circular economy by increasing the value derived from waste.
Fly ash, which makes up approximately 35% of the cement industry’s volume, plays a key role in Hindalco’s waste-to-value efforts. The company currently supplies around 4 million tonnes of fly ash from its plants in India to the cement sector.
Sukanta Das, President & Chief Logistics Officer at Hindalco Industries, commented, “The introduction of electric vehicles into our transport fleet is a significant milestone. These EVs will help transport fly ash to the cement industry, supporting a greener transport system and contributing to the circular economy.”
Hindalco is also focused on further advancing its use of LNG and EVs in road transportation, while expanding rail transport by connecting new mines and plant locations to the Indian Railways network. These steps reinforce Hindalco’s leadership in sustainable practices and its commitment to reducing carbon emissions.
In addition to fly ash, Hindalco uses other waste materials like ETP sludge, red mud, spent pot liner, and FGD waste in producing blended cement varieties such as PPC and composite cement, which help conserve natural resources. The company also supplies 1.4 lakh metric tonnes of copper slag for use in ready-mix concrete, reducing the need for sand. Hindalco’s climate action efforts extend to a 100 MW round-the-clock carbon-free power project for its Odisha smelter, which earned the ‘Energy Transition Changemaker’ award at COP28.
As a $26 billion global metals leader, Hindalco is the world’s largest aluminium company by revenue and the second-largest copper rod manufacturer outside of China. Its footprint includes 52 manufacturing units in 10 countries, and the company has been ranked the most sustainable aluminium company in the world by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for four consecutive years (2020-2023).
