Indian mining company Vedanta is set to use coal as the primary energy source for its mining operations, despite efforts to increase renewable energy use, reported Reuters.
Currently, coal constitutes around 70% of the mining company’s energy mix.
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Vedanta aims to decrease its reliance on coal to 50–60% within three to four years by integrating more renewable sources such as solar, wind and hybrid models.
The company is also investing in low-carbon products such as aluminium and zinc, utilising renewable energy and hydrogen in production.
Currently, the products account for less than 20% of its total output, but the company plans to expand production.
In addition, Vedanta is exploring energy transitions in its international operations.
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By GlobalDataVedanta Resources CEO Deshnee Naidoo said: “Coal will be, for us in Vedanta, the baseload contributor. We are absolutely in production.”
In Zambia, where power outages can last up to 20 hours daily, Vedanta intends to establish a 300MW power plant to facilitate mining expansion.
The power plant will be equally divided between coal and renewable energy.
Vedanta has resumed copper production in the country, with its unit reaching 180,000–200,000 tonnes (t), a level last achieved in 2018.
The company plans to increase output to 300,000t over three years, without specifying a timeline for listing the Zambian unit.
In India, Vedanta has no immediate plans to pursue lithium mining, citing the country’s unexplored potential.
Last month, the Indian Government halted Vedanta’s proposed restructuring into four new entities over concerns regarding dues recovery.
During a National Company Law Tribunal hearing, the government accused Vedanta of modifying the demerger scheme after receiving approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India.
