Indian mining company Vedanta plans to cut its reliance on coal while expanding renewable energy use and low-carbon production, while affirming that coal will remain a critical part of its energy mix.
Currently, about 70 per cent of the company’s power comes from coal.
Vedanta aims to reduce this share to 50–60 per cent within three to four years by integrating solar, wind, and hybrid energy models, Reuters reported.
The company is also developing low-carbon products such as aluminium and zinc, using renewable energy and hydrogen in the process.
These currently account for less than 20 per cent of output, but Vedanta intends to expand production.
Vedanta Resources CEO Deshnee Naidoo emphasised the continued role of coal in operations.
“Coal will be, for us in Vedanta, the baseload contributor. We are absolutely in production,” she said.
As part of its international energy transition strategy, Vedanta is advancing plans in Zambia, where frequent power outages disrupt operations.
The company intends to build a 300MW power plant split evenly between coal and renewable energy sources, supporting the expansion of its mining activities.
Vedanta recently resumed copper output in the country, with production levels reaching 180,000–200,000 tonnes, comparable to its 2018 performance.
It now aims to raise production to 300,000 tonnes over three years. However, the company has not disclosed details regarding the listing of its Zambian unit.
In India, Vedanta has ruled out immediate plans to pursue lithium mining, citing the unexplored potential of the country’s resources.
The company is also under scrutiny following the Indian government’s decision last month to halt its proposed restructuring into four new entities.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs argued during a National Company Law Tribunal hearing that Vedanta had modified its demerger plan after receiving approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India, raising concerns over dues recovery.
