Shree Cement Limited India’s third largest cement manufacturer by capacity, is proud to announce that it has achieved a significant milestone of one GW (1,000 MW) of installed power capacity. This accomplishment was marked by the commissioning of a 19.5 MW solar power plant at its manufacturing unit in Andhra Pradesh.
The 1 GW capacity includes a mix of solar, wind, thermal and waste heat recovery power plants, showcasing Shree Cement’s diversified approach to meeting the electricity demand for cement production.
Significant investments totalling Rs 40 billion have been made to expand the renewable portfolio, which now accounts for nearly 50 per cent of the installed power capacity at 499 MW. Notably, Shree Cement’s 244 MW capacity from waste heat recovery is one of the highest in the global cement industry.
Looking ahead, an estimated capex of Rs 10 billion is planned in FY25 for installation of additional RE capacity. This will include 132 MW solar capacity in five states namely, Jharkhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, 36 MW of wind generation in Rajasthan and 34 MW of waste heat recovery capacity in Karnataka and Rajasthan.
Mr. Neeraj Akhoury, Managing Director of Shree Cement commented, “Achieving a power capacity portfolio of this size ensures that we have abundant electricity to not just power our existing cement production but also our expansion projects. We will contribute the surplus power to states and central grid.”
To this, Mr Akhoury added, “Significant integration of green electricity has helped us produce cement in a more sustainable and cost-effective manner. Today nearly 56 per cent of our power requirement is met from renewable resources which is the highest in the Indian cement industry. Our aim is to set a benchmark for sustainability within the cement sector and inspire positive change throughout the industry.”
Recently, Shree Cement announced its membership in the RE100 initiative, committing to harness 100 per cent renewable electricity for its entire operations by 2050. With sustainability as the cornerstone of the company’s growth strategy, Shree Cement has been a pioneer in adopting innovative technologies to minimise the consumption of non-renewable sources and reduce emissions. The company is also exploring advanced techniques to enhance renewable electricity usage, such as battery storage, pump storage, and green hydrogen.
Shree Cement is firmly on track to becoming a modern and green building materials company, aiming to increase its current capacity from 56.4 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) to 80 mtpa by 2028.