Maruti Suzuki Reinforces Renewable Energy Commitment with New Biogas Plant at Manesar Facility
Investment of INR 450 Crores Planned for Renewable Energy Expansion Over Three Years Starting FY 2024-25
New Delhi / Manesar, 05 June 2024: Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) has initiated a pilot Biogas plant at its Manesar facility for FY 2024-25. This plant will utilize in-house food waste and Napier grass, aligning with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s ‘Waste to Energy’ program, showcasing MSIL’s dedication to sustainable and innovative waste management practices.
In FY 2023-24, MSIL invested INR 120.8 crores in renewable energy initiatives such as solar power and biogas. The company plans to significantly increase this investment to INR 450 crores over the next three years, starting FY 2024-25, thereby enhancing its environmental sustainability efforts.
The pilot plant is set to produce 0.2 tons of biogas daily, with an anticipated output of about 1 lakh standard cubic meters of biogas in FY 2024-25. This initiative is expected to offset approximately 190 tonnes of CO2 annually. By using canteen food waste and Napier grass as raw materials, the plant will not only provide energy for the Manesar facility but also produce residual organic manure for horticultural use, effectively creating a zero-discharge model.
This project emphasizes Maruti Suzuki’s dedication to sustainable practices, effective waste management, carbon footprint reduction, and energy security.
Mr. Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO of Maruti Suzuki India Limited, stated, “Energy is a critical input in the manufacturing process. As we scale our production capacity from around 2 million to 4 million by 2030-31, we are intensifying our efforts to increase the share of sustainable and renewable energy sources in our operations. This aligns with Suzuki’s Environment Vision 2050 and the Government of India’s renewable energy focus. The biogas plant at Manesar is a step towards a cleaner, more sustainable energy landscape at MSIL and the broader industry. As we incorporate multiple technologies into our products, we will also focus on diversifying our renewable energy sources to make our operations greener.”
Mr. Takeuchi further added, “We are strategically investing in our current and future facilities to ensure environmental sustainability by optimizing energy consumption, integrating renewable energy sources, implementing efficient waste management protocols, and conserving water resources. The learnings from this pilot will be applied to our forthcoming world-class manufacturing facilities.”
Expansion of Solar Capacity at Manesar and Kharkhoda
Maruti Suzuki is transitioning to green manufacturing practices at its Manesar and Kharkhoda facilities. In FY 2023-24, the company expanded its solar capacity to 43.2 MWp. Over the next two years, it plans to add 15 MWp to the Manesar plant and 20 MWp to the upcoming Kharkhoda plant, aiming to achieve a total solar capacity of 78.2 MWp by FY 2025-26. These efforts are in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #7.