Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest aluminum producer and private sector miner, has announced the commissioning of India’s largest electric fleet of 23 forklifts. Lithium-ion batteries power this electric fleet.
This is the first phase in Vedanta Aluminium’s efforts to decarbonize its industrial vehicle fleet, and it was completed in partnership with GEAR (Gemini Equipment and Rentals Private Limited) India. The company’s aluminum smelter in Jharsuguda, Odisha, got all 23 forklifts last month and is fully functioning.
The cutting-edge ‘Smart Fleet Management’ technology is included on these electric forklifts. is system combines data acquired by intelligent terminals with IoT (Internet of Things) technology to deliver real-time insights on forklift speed, operation access, collision avoidance, and optimization analysis for operational efficiency, and equipment maintenance.
Furthermore, these electric forklifts have forward and backward cameras to give employees with 360-degree visibility, as well as red-zone lighting and blue spotlights to establish a safe working zone surrounding the forklift and an automated deceleration mechanism when turning for further safety.
Diesel usage has been cut by almost 2.5 lakh gallons per year, and greenhouse gas emissions have been lowered by around 690 tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually.
In keeping with the Vedanta’s objective to reaching Net Zero Carbon by 2050, they opted to deploy one of India’s largest and most technologically sophisticated electric forklift fleets, which is a significant step in decarbonizing the companies industrial vehicle fleet.
Reference- Vedanta Aluminium PR & Online Newsroom, Economic Times, Business Standard, GEAR website