Renault Nissan Automotive India (RNAI) has announced that it is making strong progress towards its 2045 carbon neutrality goal unveiled in February this year and will be crossing several important sustainability milestones by 2030.
The carbon neutrality roadmap encompasses three key pathways: increasing the share of green energy in the overall mix, aggressively improving efficiencies in energy usage and continuous adoption of energy-efficient technology at its Oragadam plant.
By implementing its comprehensive roadmap, the company is confident of achieving its 2030 sustainability goals, setting it on course to reach carbon neutrality by 2045. The plant's commitment to energy and resource reduction, renewable energy integration, and technological advancements will continue positioning it as a leading player in sustainable manufacturing.
A press release from the company noted that the strategy has already allowed the automaker to cut down the equivalent of 87,500 tonne of CO2 emissions every year as of FY23.
Interestingly, RNAI currently sources nearly 60% of its electricity from renewable sources such as solar, biomass and wind. Taking its clean energy commitment further, the plant will expand its in-house solar plant capacity from 2.2mW to 14mW by installing rooftop solar panels and innovative floating solar panels on the plant's pond by 2026.
By leveraging renewable energy sources, the company is working towards meeting 85% of the plant's energy needs with renewable power by 2030 and transitioning to 100% renewable energy by 2045. In addition, it meets 85% of its water needs from its rainwater harvesting ponds developed within the premises and is set to become water-positive by 2030.
The factory is also a Zero Discharge plant, recycling and reusing wastewater for industrial processes and various uses, including gardening. The company plans to further enhance water efficiency through upgraded plumbing designs, water audits, and stringent monitoring and is targeting a 21% reduction in water use by 2030 compared to FY 2022-23 levels.
In addition to the ten lakes and ponds it has already committed to rejuvenate within the community, the company will explore opportunities to create new water bodies. It will also build direct groundwater recharging pits to improve water tables in a water-stressed region. Supplemented with its tree planting initiatives, these actions will enable it to facilitate the return of more water into the environment than it consumes for its operations, becoming water positive by 2030.
RNAI has also been working on initiatives to replace single-use plastic items from within the plant with eco-friendly alternatives as per norms laid out by the Government. The company also conducts regular employee campaigns to increase awareness on the drawbacks and environmental harm caused by the use of single-use plastic.
Reduce Power Consumption
Since the start of car production in FY10, the plant has achieved 36% reduction in energy use. It has achieved this impressive result through a series of plant-wide conservation techniques and technology upgrades.
The plant uses intelligent flow controllers for air compressor systems to reduce energy consumption, saving 800 tonne of CO2 emissions annually. Upgrading shop infrastructure with LED lighting further aids the cause.
By 2030, the plant aims to reduce the energy required to manufacture a car by 20% (compared to the 2019 energy baseline) and reduce this further by 30% by 2045.
Keerthi Prakash, Managing Director, RNAI, noted that the company is also committed to shaping a more sustainable future for the communities, and a number of its Corporate Social Responsibility programmes work towards this goal, including the ambitious project to rejuvenate water bodies.
“We are shaping a future where our actions today define the legacy we leave for generations to come,' he added.
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