NMDC on National Energy Conservation Day: Leading with energy efficiency and sustainability

As the country's largest iron ore producer, NMDC recognizes its responsibility to lead in environmental sustainability. This National Energy Conservation Day brings an opportunity to look back at our efforts that are integral to our transformative initiatives, as detailed in our Sustainability Report 2023-24. Energy efficiency, de-carbonization, and sustainable resource management are at the centre of it.

At NMDC, resource conservation is taken seriously, driving our commitment to responsible operations across. We recognize that efficient energy use helps minimize our environmental footprint. Our dedication to energy conservation is a key pillar of our broader sustainability initiatives- reducing emissions, working on preserving the ozone layer, conducting regular energy audits, efficient water management and looking for cleaner energy solutions.

Initiatives in action

At NMDC, we are committed to reducing our environmental impact while ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come. In FY 2023-24, we conducted a detailed carbon footprint analysis, focusing on Scope 3 emissions across the value chain. This assessment is driving several initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In line with our efforts to reduce emissions, we have also achieved reduced Ozone-Depleting Substances (ODS) emissions this year by 48% through regular maintenance and timely equipment repairs, ensuring compliance and a safer operational footprint.

In addition, we understand the importance of keeping a check on our energy consumption and hence we conduct annual energy audits to optimize consumption and increase renewable energy. To ensure that we adopt cleaner energy sources for powering our workflow, we have installed seven 1.5 MW wind generators at Chitradurga, generating a total of 10.5 MW of renewable energy, supported by energy recovery systems at Bailadila and Donimalai sites.

At NMDC, we recognize that water is a precious and limited resource, vital for both our operations and the communities we serve. We are steadfast towards implementing efficient water management practices that not only support our mining activities but also promote sustainability and environmental conservation . To harbour the concept of water reuse and recycling, we have developed a 30 lakh cubic meter reservoir at our Panna diamond mine that will catch the runoff water to support NMDC operations, the local community, and the nearby Panna Tiger Reserve. Through these initiatives, we have become the lowest specific water-consuming global mining peer .

The Road Ahead

On this National Energy Conservation Day, we continue to innovate and implement solutions that reduce our carbon footprint, and our focus remains on advancing energy conservation efforts, achieving decarbonisation, and setting new benchmarks for responsible mining. This is the holistic approach to all-around sustainability efforts, putting energy conservation and resource optimisation at the heart of everything we do. We will balance industrial progress with environmental care to ensure that the actions taken today contribute to a greener, more sustainable future.

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