Tannery in Ranipet transitions to solar energy to reduce carbon footprint

The solar thermal air heating system has replaced the traditional wood-fired propulsion system at Sipcot’s overseas leather company in Ranipet on Tuesday to dry processed leather. |Picture source: C. Venkatachalapathy

From traditional wood-fired heating systems, tannery in the Ranipet-Ambur-vaniyambadi region has gradually moved towards clean energy technology, especially solar-operated automatic sprayer dryers, which are essential for drying processed leather in their factories to prevent pollution and save electricity bills.

Over the past few years, in Ranipet’s Sipcot Complex, it includes overseas leather, manufacturers and finished leather exporters, including overseas leather, manufacturers and exporters.

Earlier, these tannery plants were operating their units, especially heating systems with wood, resulting in huge costs and pollution. “The installation cost and space required for solar systems is a challenge to adapt to the clean energy technology of tannery. However, in the long run, the benefits of clean energy are more stable,” said S. Gopalakrishnan, Fermentation Engineering Manager, Overseas.

Sunbest, a THENI-based solar energy company, provides technical support for these heaters. On the micro level, each dryer of the leather unit consumes 20-25 power per hour. On average, the tannery runs at least three dryers. In other words, the tannery consumes about 600 powers per day.

Many tanners also rely on firewood to run dryers in their units. A dryer that runs for eight hours a day requires about a ton of firewood. It costs about Rs 7,500. Within one month, it will cost Rs 2.25 lakh to buy firewood from local suppliers to run the tannery. “Besides during the monsoon, solar air-heated panels can generate power to run dryers. Government subsidies to tanners, especially micro-units, have found that the challenge of storing solar water drilling will help promote clean energy technology to a wider audience,” CP Rajkumar, CEO, CEO, Sunbest.

Currently, the leather manufacturing area covers Ranipet, Walajah, Vellore, Ambur and Vaniyambadi. There are over 700 tannery plants in the area, with Vaniyambadi alone accounting for 40%. Most tanners are coal or thermally based factories that emit greenhouse gases. Thermal energy accounts for 55% of the total energy consumption of leather manufacturing. A group of tannery plants in the Ranipet Sipcot area are breaking barriers to promote clean energy technology and reduce costs.

Earlier in the day, Director General of the Commission of the National Industrial Development and Investment Corporation of India, Hans Raj Verma and Ranipet collector Ju Chandrakala, urged leather manufacturers to join the solar energy. They say Tamil Nadu has the highest solar radiation that can be used for industrial growth. On this occasion, the Clean Energy Champion Award for Best Practices for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency is also allocated.