India's ACC alt fuels add to bottom line

ACC enjoys 79 percent increase savings with help of AFR business. [$]

{reg}[PAID={"id":"1,2,3,4,5","title":"The content you tried to access is only available to paid subscribers.","link":"1"}] ACC, whose managing director, Sumit Banarjee recently told Business Standard, ÔÇ£We are making strategic investments in AFR without looking at short-term returns, as it requires long term approach,ÔÇØ may not yet be making the Rs 100 crore savings it envisions through the AFR business, but is not unhappy with the Rs 40.8 crore it saved in 2009.

ACCs alternative fuels and raw materials (AFR) waste management program is making the most of Holcims technological support in reducing the amount of coal it must burn to produce cement. Holcim holds a 46 percent stake in ACC.

Banarjee has stated that the company understands the need to replace coal as a fuel, but even using AFR can only hope to replace 5-10 percent of the companys coal consumption.

ACC currently has wind farms in Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. A third wind farm is planned, to be constructed in Maharashtra, where ACC has invested Rs 13 crore for the project. (/reg)