PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diversified miner Rio Tinto is calling for proposals to develop large-scale wind and solar power in central and southern Queensland to power its aluminium assets.
The initiative will help Rio meet its climate change ambitions and further encourage renewables development and industry in the region, the company said.
The approach, which is through a formal market request for proposals (RFP), is intended to support the development of multiple new wind and solar power projects that can, in parallel with firming solutions, start supplying power to Rio’s Gladstone assets through the Queensland grid by 2030.
“As Queensland’s largest energy user, we have an important role to play in driving the development of competitive renewable energy sources for our Gladstone assets and supporting the State’s renewable energy targets,” Rio aluminium CEO Ivan Vella said.
“It is early in the process, but this is an important step towards meeting both our Group climate change target of halving our emissions by the end of the decade and our commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050.”
Rio is seeking proposals that can competitively meet the energy needs of its three production assets in the Gladstone region, including the Boyne smelter, the Yarwun alumina refinery and the Queensland Alumina refinery.
These assets require 1 140 MW of reliable power to operate, which equates to at least 4 000 MW of quality wind or solar power with firming.