Rio Tinto has approved a 12.4 MW solar farm and 8.8MVa/2.1MWh of battery storage to provide renewable energy for the Amrun bauxite operations near Weipa in Queensland.
The project is part of its global decarbonization strategy and efforts to reduce emissions at its Pacific bauxite, alumina and aluminium operations. With the announcement, Amrun’s diesel electricity consumption is expected to be reduced by 37 percent and annual CO2-equivalent emissions by 14,000 tons.
This will add to the existing 5.6 MW of solar and 4 MWh of battery power built for Rio Tinto’s Weipa operations and the local electricity network since 2015.
Aggreko will build, own, and operate the solar farm to supply renewable electricity to the mine operations with its current contract to supply electricity generated from an existing diesel power station.
The solar farm is expected to be operational by early 2025 and will provide about 21 GW hours of renewable power annually upon completion.
The solar farms with the existing Weipa renewable power generation network will reduce Weipa Operations’ diesel consumption by an estimated 10 million liters per year and lower its annual greenhouse gas emissions by about 28,000 tons, equivalent to removing more than 6,000 internal combustion engine passenger cars from the road.
“The Amrun solar farm will be one of three Weipa Operations solar stations, which will together provide 18MW of solar generation capacity to our mines and the Weipa town,” Rio Tinto Weipa Operations General Manager, Shona Markham said.
