Rio Tinto to triple Weipa solar capacity and add battery storage to help power operations
September 19 2021 - 6:59PM
Business Wire
Rio Tinto has approved a new solar farm and battery storage at
Weipa in Queensland, in a move that will more than triple the local
electricity network’s solar generation capacity and help provide
cleaner power to Rio Tinto’s operations.
Under the plans, EDL has been contracted to build, own and
operate a 4MW solar plant and 4MW/4MWh of battery storage at Weipa.
Work on the battery facilities will start this year, with
construction of the whole project expected to be complete by late
2022.
The new solar farm and battery storage will complement the
existing 1.6MW solar farm at Weipa, which was completed in 2015 and
is also owned and operated by EDL. The 4MWh battery system will be
built next to the existing Weipa power station and will help
provide a stable power network for Rio Tinto’s Weipa Operations
bauxite mines and the Weipa township.
Rio Tinto Aluminium Pacific Bauxite Operations General Manager
Michelle Elvy said “The new solar farm and battery storage at Weipa
will help us lower our carbon footprint and diesel use in a
reliable way.
“The original Weipa solar farm was the largest solar facility at
an off-grid Australian mine site at the time it was built, and it
played an important role in showing the viability of renewable
energy systems in remote locations.
“The new solar farm and battery storage system is part of Rio
Tinto’s group-wide commitment to reduce emissions across our
operations. There is clearly more work to be done, but projects
like this are an important part of meeting our climate
targets.”
EDL Chief Executive Officer James Harman said “We welcome the
opportunity to continue supporting Rio Tinto to reduce carbon
emissions.
“EDL will be leveraging expertise from our hybrid renewable
energy systems around Australia to deliver clean and reliable
energy for Rio Tinto’s operations and the local community.”
When complete, the combined 4MW solar capacity and 4MW/4MWh
battery will provide about 11 gigawatt hours of energy annually.
Combined with upgrades to the existing Weipa power generation
network, the improvements will reduce Weipa Operations’ diesel
consumption by an estimated 7 million litres per year and lower its
annual carbon dioxide emissions by about 20,000 tonnes - the
equivalent of taking more than 3,750 cars off the road.
Rio Tinto Weipa Operations will purchase electricity from EDL
and the new solar plant will be connected directly to the Weipa
electricity network.
More information on Rio Tinto’s climate targets can be found
here.
riotinto.com
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Category: Weipa
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