Shree Cement Ltd announced a significant milestone of one gigawatt (1,000 MW) of installed power capacity. This achievement 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 totaling Rs 4,000 crore 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 1,000 crore is planned in FY25 for the installation of additional renewable energy capacity. This will include 132 MW of solar capacity in five states – 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.
Commenting on this milestone, Neeraj Akhoury, Managing Director, Shree Cement, said, “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 the central grid.”
“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,” Akhoury added.
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 MTPA to 80 MT by 2028.