Rio Tinto eyes 6GW of solar and wind as part of decarbonisation push

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
A 1.6MW solar install at Rio Tinto’s Weipa mine in Queensland. Image: Rio Tinto.

Mining company Rio Tinto is looking to deploy an additional 6GW of solar and wind in Australia as part of a new plan to reduce its carbon emissions by 50% by 2030.

The decarbonisation effort will see Rio switch its Boyne Island and Tomago aluminium smelters to renewables, requiring around 5GW of solar and wind as well as “a robust firming solution”.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

In the Pilbara region of Western Australia, where Rio owns 16 iron ore mines and is currently building a solar-plus-storage project, the company is also targeting the “rapid deployment” of 1GW of additional solar and wind generation, replacing gas power and supporting the early electrification of mining equipment.

Full electrification of the firm’s Pilbara operations, including all trucks, mobile equipment and rail operations, will require further gigawatt-scale renewable deployment and advances in fleet technologies.

Rio Tinto is aiming for a 50% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030, more than tripling its previous goal, and a 15% reduction by 2025 from a 2018 baseline – targets that will require an investment of around US$7.5 billion.

“We have a clear pathway to decarbonise our business and are actively developing technologies that will enable our customers and our customers’ customers to decarbonise,” said Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm.

Having announced an ambition last year to reach net zero emissions by 2050, Rio Tinto’s renewables expansion has seen it reveal plans to build a 4MW solar farm paired with 4MW/4MWh of battery storage at an off-grid bauxite mine in Queensland.

One of the company’s mines in Madagascar, meanwhile, will feature a hybrid installation consisting of 8MW of solar, 12MW of onshore wind and a battery energy storage system.

Read Next

July 31, 2025
Lucy Nation has said bp paid the price for proceeding “too quickly,” resulting in its exit from the 26GW AREH project in Pilbara.
July 28, 2025
Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has announced it has invested a record AU$4.7 billion (US$3.09 billion) in large-scale renewables, energy storage, and transmission projects during the 12-month period ending 30 June 2025.
July 28, 2025
KKR has invested AU$500 million in Australia’s CleanPeak Energy to support the rollout of DERs such as rooftop solar PV and battery storage.
July 25, 2025
Oil and gas major bp has confirmed it will exit the Australian Renewable Energy Hub (AREH), a 26GW wind, solar and green hydrogen project planned for Western Australia.
July 24, 2025
Two major transmission infrastructure projects have progressed in Western Australia and New South Wales, in a win for renewables.
July 22, 2025
AEMO has reported a record-breaking surge in new renewable energy generation and storage assets reaching full operation within the NEM.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK