Rio Tinto launches tender for 4GW of onshore renewables in Australia

June 13, 2022
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Rio Tinto’s Boyne smelter in Gladstone will be one of the three facilities to be powered through the 4GW RFP it is seeking. Image: Rio Tinto.

Mining company Rio Tinto has launched a request for proposals (RFP) to develop large-scale solar PV and wind power in Australia.

It is seeking proposals that could provide, in parallel with power firming solutions, more than 4GW of renewables in Central and Southern Queensland to power its aluminium assets.

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The renewables would be used to power its three production assets – the Boyne smelter (pictured above), the Yarwun alumina refinery and the Queensland Alumina refinery – in the Gladstone region through the Queensland grid by 2030.

Ivan Vella, chief executive at Rio Tinto Aluminium, said: “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.”

The RFP follows Rio Tinto’s push in October 2021 to halve its carbon emissions by 2030 with the additional deployment of 6GW of solar and wind power in Australia.

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