HUL switches to green fuel; becomes coal free across biz

Leading FMCG firm HUL on Thursday said it has switched to green fuel alternatives such as biomass and biodiesel and has eliminated the usage of coal across its operations.

The company has collaborated with biomass suppliers and local farmers to ensure sustainable supply of green fuel and has made the necessary changes for the renewable transition in its coal-fired boilers, said an HUL statement.

Besides, the shift from coal to renewable energy sources has also resulted in savings for the company, it added.

This is a part of an initiative taken by its parent Anglo-Dutch firm Unilever, which had five years ago committed to eliminating coal across its manufacturing operations by 2020.

"The company achieved its goals as committed and has now successfully transitioned its three nutrition factories acquired as part of the GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (GSK CH) merger in April 2020, to zero coal.

"The newly acquired Nutrition manufacturing units had boilers running on coal which were converted into biomass/biodiesel boilers," it said.

Commenting on the development, HUL chairman and managing director Sanjiv Mehta said this achievement is a milestone.

"As a company, we have always strived to be people and planet positive and firmly believe that responsible business is the only way forward,” he said.

HUL executive director Supply Chain Willem Uijen said:"I am delighted that we could move our new factories from our GSK acquisition into renewable energy usage quickly.

"The impact of this transition not only increases HUL's green footprint but also improves the quality of air around its factories and enhances the income of farmers through the buying of biomass.”

HUL's manufacturing units have already been operating with 100 per cent renewable grid electricity since 2019 through onsite solar generation, offsite solar and wind generation, and hydro-based grid power purchase.

Its food & refreshment manufacturing unit in Nashik has onboarded three offsite wind turbine generators for captive consumption in addition to the onsite solar photovoltaic plant.

"The move from coal to green fuel shall provide an impetus to HUL's endeavour to ensure 100 per cent of energy across its operations comes from renewable sources, and that the company will directly support the generation of more renewable energy than it consumes," it said.

Photograph: PTI Photo