Tata Motors Joins RE100, Aims For 100% Renewable Electricity

Originally published on Sustainnovate.
By Henry Lindon

The Indian automotive company Tata Motors Limited has pledged to work towards sourcing 100% of its electricity needs from renewable energy facilities, as part of the RE100 initiative, according to a recent announcement.

The move makes Tata Motors the second major Indian company to sign up for the RE100 initiative in recent days. It should be noted here, though, that the company has yet to reveal a timeline for its transition to 100% renewables.

As it stands, Tata Motors receives roughly 8% of its electricity from renewable energy projects — in particular, through its 21.95 megawatts (MW) wind energy project and solar photovoltaic (PV) installations at 3 of its manufacturing facilities. The company is currently working on a number of open-access agreements in order to source from further renewable energy projects, reportedly.

“Our climate change policy aims to maximize the use of renewable energy in our manufacturing operations,” stated Arvind Bodhankar, chief sustainability officer of Tata Motors Limited, in a statement. “Doing so will not only reduce our carbon emissions, but also lead to long-term financial savings. The RE100 movement shows that the transition to renewable energy is achievable and it offers a powerful network to support and celebrate businesses increasing their use of renewable power. Tata Motors is proud to join such an initiative.”

The CEO of The Climate Group (the ones behind the RE100 campaign), Mark Kenber, commented: “Businesses have a fundamental role to play in delivering a low carbon economy, and the Paris Agreement is giving them the confidence to go further and faster in their efforts. Tata Motors is one of the first companies to seize the opportunity post Paris, and we know many more will follow.”

Image via Tata Motors