Economy & Market

The industry is looking for systems that offer flexibility

Published

5 years ago

October 14, 2021

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Shridhar Nambi, Director & Chief Executive Officer, Greenesol Power Systems

Changing fuel policies and stricter boiler safety norms have given rise to demand for advanced boiler systems that offer energy efficiency and flexibility in the same package. Only those who can offer specialised designs, backed by a solid design and development team, are successful in the market. Shridhar Nambi, Director & Chief Executive Officer, Greenesol Power Systems, elaborates on how the market is warming up to new boiler technologies. Excerpts from the interview.

What is the range of boiler technologies offered by you in terms of capacity and fuel flexibility?

We offer a pulverised coal fired boiler with capacity upto 1080 TPH for any kind of coal, lignite with subcritical pressure. We offer CFBC from 35 TPH to 800 TPH subcritical pressure for fuels like coal rejects, washers rejects, Dolochar, Indian coal, Indonesian coal, Indian lignite, biomass and sludge.

Apart from this, we offer municipal solid waste fired boilers upto 600 T/D infiltration for power production and Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG) behind gas turbine frame 9SA. We also supply Waste Heat Recovery boilers (WHRB) behind kilns for steel industries, cement industries and coke oven plants.

How has boiler technology evolved to meet the needs of the cement industry?

Cement industries being located in remote areas, may not always have grid connectivity. Such companies have to rely on captive power generation using diesel based generator.

Rising costs of fuel oil has made coal based systems more attractive. Companies are now opting for advance technologies like AFBC, CFBC with ash generation, which can be blend into cement directly. Boiler technology has evolved with time to meet the changing needs of the country.

What are the latest innovations in boiler design that can improve energy efficiency?

Installing WHRB is a critical improvement for cement industries trying to achieve better energy efficiency. The technology has matured sufficiently and we have tested it in many nations.

How is changing fuel policy affecting the boiler manufacturing business?

Changing fuel policies lead to variation in fuel price fluctuations. Being tied up with a system that runs on only one type of fuel is no longer an economically viable option. Today, boilers are being designed to be compatible with different types of domestic and imported coal like Indonesian coal, Australian coal and other countries. The industry is looking for systems that offer flexibility. One such option is the CFBCs technology.

What are the major factors that reduce the boiler’s lifecycle and reliability?

If the boiler is designed for a specific type of fuel is run on a different fuel due to logistics or economic reasons, then the boiler’s lifecycle will be significantly affected.

It will also impact the reliability of the systems performance.

Where do customers usually go wrong while picking up boilers?

End users at times go wrong while planning the lifecycle duration of the boiler. Apart from this, often users go for boilers compatible with fuel available at low prices and fail to foresee price fluctuations in the future. Prices may fluctuate and it is a good idea to go for systems compatible with different fuel types.

Hence, it is very important to plan availability of fuel in the long run depending on the geographical location and other such factors.

Where do Indian cement manufacturers stand when it comes to predictive maintenance of boilers?

Normally, manufacturing of the main product will be the key focus of the production staff, while issues like regular maintenance take the back seat. Regular predictive maintenance of boilers, though, is an requirement IBR but priority is not given to it.

Which are the new challenges and opportunities in boiler design and manufacture?

Boiler design is more than satisfying the standard designing requirements. One has to deliver more than the standard requirements and often customise the design as per the requirements. A good design must ensure best returns on investment.

Boiler efficiency is a measure of how much combustion energy is converted into steam energy, while steam quality measures how much liquid water is present in the steam produced. Steam pressure reduction has the potential to save fuel consumed by a steam system. The amount of capital investment may be minimal for the appropriate application of this efficiency measure. The amount of fuel that can be saved varies with the design and maintenance of the existing system. Steam pressure reduction should be tested to establish the critical minimum pressure at a steam load that is above average but below peak. This will provide an estimate of savings.

Concrete

Wonder Cement appoints Mahesh Singh as VP Corporate Brand Communication

Published

4 days ago

October 9, 2026

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Singh brings 20+ years of brand and marketing experience, and will lead integrated corporate brand communication initiatives at Wonder Cement

New Delhi

Wonder Cement, a leading cement manufacturer, has appointed Mahesh Singh as Vice President – Corporate Brand Communication. In his new role, he will oversee corporate brand strategy and communication, including digital and performance marketing, public relations, trade, events, exhibitions, sports and experiential marketing.

Singh brings over two decades of experience across marketing and communications, with roles spanning the automotive industry, agencies and entrepreneurship. He spent more than a decade with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, working across integrated communication, media, digital, retail and consumer engagement. His stint also included helping build the company’s digital marketing capabilities.

He moved to dentsu X India as Vice President – Strategy & Planning, working across categories such as automotive, auto components, electric vehicles, FMCG, consumer electronics, BFSI, apparel and brand consulting. His responsibilities included media and marketing strategy, product launches, content, performance marketing and consumer activations.

Singh subsequently took an entrepreneurial route with Radiant Brands before joining Shriram Ltd (SPR Autotech) as Head – Marketing & Communications. There, his remit included brand and corporate strategy, communications, PR and ORM, retail identity, loyalty programmes and events.

At Wonder Cement, Singh will be responsible for bringing together the company’s corporate brand communication initiatives across digital, performance marketing, PR, trade, sports and experiential platforms. The role will focus on creating an integrated approach to communication across consumers, trade partners and other key stakeholders.

The appointment brings to Wonder Cement a marketer whose career has spanned the brand, agency and entrepreneurial sides of the communications ecosystem.

Wonder Cement, part of the RK Group, is a cement manufacturer with roots in Rajasthan and a focus on quality, trust and transparency. The company has grown to six manufacturing plants, and a cement capacity of 21.5 MTPA. With more than 2,000 employees and a network of over 5,000 dealers, its operations span manufacturing, distribution and customer engagement, with a focus on consistent product quality and efficient execution.

Concrete

JSW Cement commissions additional 1 MTPA grinding unit at Nagaur

Published

5 days ago

October 8, 2026

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With this commissioning, JSW Cement’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 25.10 MTPA,
Mumbai

JSW Cement, one of India’s leading green cement producers and part of the diversified JSW Group, today announced the successful commissioning of an additional 1.00 MTPA cement grinding unit at Nagaur, Rajasthan. The commissioning marks another significant milestone in the Company’s growth strategy.

With this commissioning, JSW Cement’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 25.10 MTPA, while its total clinker manufacturing capacity, including clinker capacity at its joint venture, JSW Cement FZC, stands at 9.74 MTPA.

JSW Cement had commenced operations in North India in March 2026 with the Nagaur Integrated Plant, comprising a 3.30 MTPA clinkerisation unit and 2.50 MTPA cement grinding unit. With the commissioning of the additional 1.00 MTPA cement grinding unit, the plant’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 3.50 MTPA, enhancing the company’s ability to cater to the growing cement demand across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the National Capital Region (NCR). The expansion has been funded through a strategic mix of equity and long-term debt.

During the quarter ended 30th September 2026, JSW Cement has also commissioned the Alternate Fuel Handling System and the Waste Heat Recovery system (WHRS) at the Nagaur Integrated Plant.

Nilesh Narwekar, CEO, JSW Cement, said: “The commissioning of additional 1.00 MTPA grinding capacity at Nagaur is a key strategic priority for us and will accelerate JSW Cement’s expansion into North India. We look forward to servicing the growing needs of the region and contributing to the economic growth of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the NCR area. I am delighted to share that the company has commissioned this grinding unit within the expected timeline, showcasing our project execution capabilities. Further, the Alternate Fuel Handling System and the Waste Heat Recovery system (WHRS) are expected to substantially reduce our production costs going forward.”

Concrete

UltraTech becomes first Indian cement firm to cross 2 GW green energy

Published

6 days ago

October 7, 2026

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UltraTech Cement has crossed 2 GW of captive green energy capacity, with renewables and waste heat recovery meeting 48 per cent of its power needs.

Mumbai

UltraTech Cement Limited has surpassed 2 GW of installed green energy capacity for captive use, becoming the first cement company in India to achieve the milestone. The Aditya Birla Group company commissioned 116.55 MW of wind capacity at its Inter-State Transmission System-connected wind-solar hybrid project in Barmer, Rajasthan, along with 10 MW of Waste Heat Recovery System capacity at Sarlanagar Cement Works in Karnataka.

With these additions, UltraTech’s cumulative installed green energy capacity has reached 2,024 MW. This includes 1,580 MW of renewable energy capacity and 444 MW of waste heat recovery capacity, together meeting around 48 per cent of the company’s current power requirements.

The company said the milestone reflects the progress of its long-term energy transition strategy. In FY27 so far, nearly one-third of UltraTech’s 76 manufacturing units in India have maintained green energy utilisation above 50 per cent of their electricity requirements, while five units have crossed 95 per cent.

K C Jhanwar, Managing Director, UltraTech Cement Limited, said, “Crossing the 2 GW green energy milestone is the result of a strategy we have pursued consistently over the past decade. Cement is an energy-intensive, hard-to-abate sector, and showing that reliability and growth can go hand in hand with a rapid shift to green energy sets a benchmark for the industry. With nearly half of our power needs now met through green energy, we are significantly less exposed to fossil fuel supply constraints and power price volatility. As we scale up renewables, waste heat recovery and battery storage across our operations, we are building an energy foundation for stable, long-term growth.”

UltraTech commissioned 430 MW of green energy capacity in FY26 and continues to expand its renewable energy and waste heat recovery portfolio.

The company is also progressively integrating Battery Energy Storage Systems across its operations to improve renewable energy utilisation and supply reliability.

In 2025, UltraTech operationalised what it described as India’s first on-site hybrid round-the-clock renewable energy project at Sewagram Cement Works in Gujarat. The project combines solar, wind and battery storage.

As part of its decarbonisation strategy, UltraTech said it has not invested in new captive thermal power capacity for either greenfield projects or brownfield expansions at its integrated units for more than a decade.

The company said its expanding green energy portfolio is helping reduce dependence on conventional grid electricity and fossil fuel-based power, while lowering exposure to fluctuations in coal and electricity prices.

UltraTech aims to increase green energy’s share in its total power mix to 85 per cent by 2030. As a member of RE100, it has also committed to meeting 100 per cent of its electricity requirement through renewable sources by 2050.

UltraTech Cement, the cement flagship of the Aditya Birla Group, has a total grey cement capacity of 210.1 MTPA and white cement and putty capacity of 3.5 MTPA. The company is also a signatory to the GCCA Climate Ambition 2050 and has committed to the GCCA Net Zero Concrete roadmap.