UltraTech Cement set to double its WHRS capacity in two years

1st September, 2018

UltraTech Cement Limited, India’s largest cement company, is setting up waste heat recovery systems (WHRS) at five of its units over the next two years with a cumulative capacity to generate 63 MW power. This will more than double its overall WHRS capacity from 58 MW to 121 MW.

The cumulative capacity of 121 MW will potentially reduce 0.72 million tonne of CO2 emissions per annum, in turn reducing the overall carbon footprint of the business. UltraTech is expected to meet 15 per cent of its power requirement from these waste heat recovery systems.

The WHRS capacity expansion is planned at Kotputli Cement Works in Rajasthan, Dhar Cement Works in Madhya Pradesh, Hirmi Cement Works in Chattisgarh, Gujarat Cement Works in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh Cement Works in Andhra Pradesh. The waste heat recovery system at Dhar Cement Works, with a capacity of 13 MW, is under commissioning and is expected to be completed by September 2018.

UltraTech Cement is one of the earliest proponents of waste heat recovery systems (WHRS) among cement manufacturers in India. The benefits of WHRS include carbon footprint reduction and Perform Achieve Trade (PAT) benefits, and cost benefits with reduction in cost per unit. As fossil fuels become scarcer and power costs increase, waste heat recovery is going to be a strategic option to become environment friendly and establish cost leadership. Cost benefits include reduction in cost per unit of power, as WHR systems can bring it down to Rs.0.50 from the existing thermal power cost of Rs.4 per unit.

In energy efficiency performance, UltraTech has overachieved the target set by the Government of India for the first Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) cycle and is moving ahead for the next phase of the cycle. Waste heat recovery has been crucial in enabling UltraTech meet its PAT targets, and will continue to do so in meeting future PAT targets. The WHRS projects demonstrate UltraTech’s commitment to furthering sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly three SDGs namely Affordable and Clean Energy, Sustainable Production and Consumption, and Climate Action.

UltraTech Cement has set a target to reduce its CO2 intensity by 25% by FY 2021, as compared to FY 2005-06. The company has identified waste heat recovery as one of the key levers towards meeting this target of reducing carbon emissions from its operations as well as securing a sustainable energy source.