Tata Motors is focusing on circularity to meet its long-term goal of net-zero emissions.
The year set for its passenger vehicle business is 2040 and five years thereafter for commercial vehicles. The end of this decade will see the company switch to 100% renewable electricity
SJR Kutty, Chief Sustainability Officer, Tata Motors, told Mobility Outlook that a systemic circular economy approach was the way forward in reducing waste. “We are creating a framework to cover all aspects of circularity including materials, water and waste,' he added.
By embracing circular principles, the idea is to explore innovative business models. The Re.Wi.Re (recycle with respect) registered vehicle scrappage facility marks the 'beginning of our commitment' to establish similar facilities nationwide.
Tata Motors is now aiming for water neutrality and zero waste to landfill by 2030. It has also restored the natural environment through a multi-decadal biodiversity strategy. This will cover its entire value chain and rejuvenate ecosystems.
The other area of focus is conservation of habitats around its operating sites and taking up flagship projects for nature-basedsolutions. An extensive biodiversity baseline study is on at its facilities to enhance nature conservation efforts.
Kutty said the company was commited to the OECM (other effective conservation methods) framework and that its sustainability goals were aligned with global climate change mitigation targets.
Tata Motors, he continued, follows universally accepted guidelines and commitments like the science-based targets initiative (SBTi) and RE100 to reach these goals. Considerable investments have been made in renewable energy sources, emissions reduction technologies, sustainable materials and circular processes.
On products side, the company is working on clean alternatives including battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell and hydrogen ICE vehicles. The EV revolution will comprise a suite of solutions across personal, public, and cargo transport.
Renewable Energy
As for the shift to 100% renewable electricity by 2030, “we are collaborating with power companies'. The company generates renewable energy in-house through solar photovoltaic installations, off-site captive wind farms, and procurement of off-site wind and solar power through power purchase agreements.
In FY23, Tata Motors generated/sourced 81 million kWh of renewable electricity for its operations. This was 25.9% of its total power consumption and prevented
57,427 tonnes of CO2 emissions. It also added on-site and off-site solar generation capacity to a level of over 43 MWp across eight locations.
According to Kutty, the company has deployed advanced processes and automation techniques to enhance energy efficiency and reduce emissions, minimising waste and optimising resource utilisation.
“We are actively exploring and investing in hydrogen fuel cell technology. Our transition to renewable energy sources, including solar and wind power, is a cornerstone of our emissions reduction strategy,” he added.
Sustainable Materials
Tata Motors is also aware that reducing resource consumption/waste and increasing recycled content in materials will reduce the carbon intensity of steel, aluminium and battery cell materials. It is working on improving product circularity as part of end-of-life management.
This involves designing the vehicle for recyclability, selecting sustainable materials by studying their environmental impact, designing vehicle assemblies / components that are easy to dismantle etc. “We have made efforts to eliminate paints from polymeric parts, hazardous materials and persistent organic pollutants,' said Kutty.
Initiatives are also underway to track and upgrade sustainability and environmental performance. 'We are working on omitting paints from polymeric parts integrating circularity while also prolonging product life,” he added.
Energising Supply Chain
Tata Motors has established a supplier code of conduct, an environmental procurement policy and sustainability guidelines for its suppliers. It also conducts sustainability assessments of its suppliers through assessment questionnaires. These evaluate suppliers' sustainability performance, allowing the company to gain insights into its environmental and social practices.
“We furthered this initiative downstream in 2019 wherein the dealer code of conduct and dealer sustainability guidelines were developed to improve their sustainability practices,' said Kutty.
This was accompanied by assessments of their ESG performance through questionnaires. As a part of this exercise, 134 suppliers and 417 franchise outlets were assessed last fiscal.
Reduce, Recycle, Reuse
Tata Motors’ strategy includes adopting energy-efficient manufacturing processes and optimising resource utilisation. It aims to reduce waste and energy consumption by implementing lean practices and innovative technologies. “Our manufacturing facility in Lucknow was certified 'water positive' while the Pantnagar facility was certified 'water neutral' by CII-GBC this year,' said Kutty .
Through its energy conservation projects, the company contributed to savings of 34.42 lakh kWh of electricity and 23,098 gigajoules of fuel. This checked emissions of 5,220 tonnes of CO2 and cost savings of INR 4.89 crore.
The vehicle maker’s Re.Wi.Re facilitates safe recycling of end-of-life vehicles through its registered vehicle scrapping facilities in Jaipur, Surat and Bhubaneswar.
Tata Motors is now creating a framework covering all aspects of circularity encompassing materials, water and waste. This will enable it to maximise resource reuse within its operations, reducing environmental impact and conserving valuable resources.
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