In Short : Hyundai aims for complete reliance on renewable energy at its Chennai facility by 2025. This commitment underscores the company’s dedication to sustainability, aligning with global efforts to transition to cleaner and more environmentally friendly manufacturing processes.
In Detail : The company is currently satisfying about 62–64 percent of its energy requirements from renewable sources.
Hyundai Motor India, the nation’s second-largest car manufacturer by market share, is currently satisfying approximately 62–64 percent of its energy requirements from renewable sources and is committed to achieving 100 percent renewable energy usage by 2025.
Gopala Krishnan CS, the Chief Manufacturing Officer at Hyundai Motor India, stated that five percent of the renewable energy comes from 10 megawatt solar units, while close to 54 percent comes from biomass and other outside agencies. “We are aiming to reach 100 percent renewable in the year 2025.” Krishnan remarked during a panel discussion titled ‘Policy Enablers and Regulatory Impact’ as part of the India EV Conclave, which was held in Chennai on November 21. The event was organised by the Tamil Nadu government in association with Autocar Professional.
In elaborating further, he highlighted the six ponds situated at the company’s manufacturing facility in Chennai, emphasising their role in enabling the facility to rely on approximately 80 percent of its water supply from these reservoirs. “Through in-house rainwater harvesting, recycling, and reusing water, we have achieved a nearly 30 percent reduction in water usage over the last five years,” Krishnan remarked. He also noted that these ponds have a combined water storage capacity of nearly 3,50,000 metric tonnes, sufficient to meet the facility’s needs for approximately 120 days.
Through its Sriperumbudur facility located outside Chennai, HMI achieved a production capacity of 8,20,000 units in the first half of this year. Looking ahead, the company aims to expand this capacity to one million units annually, leveraging the acquisition of the Talegaon plant near Pune, previously owned by the US-based General Motors, which ceased operations and exited the market.
In discussing green manufacturing practices, Krishnan emphasised the implementation of global best practices derived from the company’s global base plant, particularly focusing on scope one and scope two emissions. Over a five-year period, these initiatives have resulted in a substantial 38 percent reduction in emissions, equivalent to nearly one lakh metric tonnes of CO2.
Within scope one, the implementation of waste heat recovery methodologies has led to a reduction of approximately 3,600 metric tonnes of equivalent energy, contributing to a 16 percent reduction in scope one emissions. This has been achieved through the integration of regenerative thermal oxidisers in the paint shop, the utilisation of magnetic resonators in the ovens, and the application of ceramic coating in the ovens, all of which contribute to energy conservation.
Regarding scope two, a significant reduction of almost 9,000 metric tonnes of oil has been accomplished over the past five years, representing a notable 42 percent decrease. The efficient management of energy systems, which includes the optimisation of LEDs and the use of energy-efficient motors, has facilitated this reduction. Krishnan further added, “Through these collective efforts, we have made substantial progress in reducing both scope one and scope two emissions.”
In layman’s parlance, scope one and scope two are classifications used to categorise greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within an organisation’s operations and energy usage. Scope one emissions encompass direct emissions from sources owned or controlled by the company, while Scope two emissions cover indirect emissions resulting from the organisation’s energy consumption, such as purchased electricity and other energy sources. These classifications enable companies to understand and account for their full value chain emissions, thereby focusing their efforts on the most significant reduction opportunities.
Krishnan highlighted the meticulous monitoring of all customised components through the implementation of diverse global energy management systems and digital solutions. “We utilise digital dashboards for comprehensive monitoring, and these best practices are instrumental in driving us towards our carbon neutrality objectives. Our ultimate aim is to achieve zero carbon neutrality by 2045.”
The Chennai-based Korean car maker announced in May of this year its plans to expand its presence in electric vehicles and enhance vehicle platforms by allocating Rs 20,000 crore over a phased 10-year period from 2023 to 2032. HMI, in a statement, said that it will establish a cutting-edge battery pack assembly unit with an annual capacity of 1,78,000 units. The company will also install 100 EV charging stations at key locations along major highways over a span of five years. This includes 5 Dual Ultra-Fast Charging Stations (DC 150 KW + DC 60 KW), 10 Single Fast Charging Stations (DC 150 KW), and 85 Single Fast Charging Stations (DC 60 KW). Furthermore, the Korean carmaker has announced plans to expand total production volumes to 850,000 units per year and introduce new electric and ICE vehicles from its Sriperumbudur factory.
