Rio Tinto to build first solar plant in Western Australia to power iron ore mine
17 February 2020 - 10:03AM
Business Wire
Rio Tinto has approved a $98 million (100 per cent basis)
investment in a new solar plant at the Koodaideri mine in the
Pilbara, Australia, as well as a lithium-ion battery energy storage
system to help power its entire Pilbara power network.
The 34 megawatt solar photovoltaic plant is expected to supply
all of Koodaideri’s electricity demand during peak solar power
generation times and approximately 65 per cent of the mine’s
average electricity demand.
The plant, Rio Tinto’s first company-owned solar facility, will
consist of an estimated 100,000 panels, covering an area of 105
hectares. Construction is expected to begin later this year,
subject to government approvals, and is due to be completed in
2021.
Complementing it will be a new 12MWh battery energy storage
system in Tom Price that will provide spinning reserve generating
capacity to support a stable and reliable network.
The solar plant and battery are estimated to lower annual carbon
dioxide emissions by about 90,000 tonnes compared to conventional
gas powered generation. This is the equivalent of taking about
28,000 cars off the road.
Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Chris Salisbury said “The
construction of our first solar plant in the Pilbara is a
significant milestone for the business and an important step in
reducing our carbon footprint in the region.
“We are investigating additional renewable energy options in the
Pilbara, as well as other opportunities to reduce emissions across
our entire global portfolio, building on the 43 per cent reduction
in absolute greenhouse gas emissions since 2008.”
Rio Tinto is working to define new emissions reduction targets
from 2020 as part of our transition to a lower carbon world.
Notes for editors
Koodaideri, 100 per cent owned by Rio Tinto, is located
approximately 35 kilometres north-west of Rio Tinto's Yandicoogina
mine site, and about 110 kilometres from the town of Newman.
Funding for the solar plant and battery sits within Rio Tinto’s
existing guidance for sustaining capital expenditure for its iron
ore business.
The $2.6 billion Koodaideri mine was approved in November last
year with construction commencing earlier this year. Production
capacity will be 43 million tonnes annually with first production
is expected to commence by the end of 2021.
Rio Tinto's Weipa operation in Queensland sources power from an
on-site solar facility.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200216005044/en/
media.enquiries@riotinto.com riotinto.com
Follow @RioTinto on Twitter
Media Relations, Australia Jonathan Rose T +61 3 9283
3088 M +61 447 028 913
Matt Chambers T +61 3 9283 3087 M +61 433 525 739
Jesse Riseborough T +61 8 6211 6013 M +61 436 653 412
Media Relations, United Kingdom Illtud Harri M +44 7920
503 600
David Outhwaite T +44 20 7781 1623 M +44 7787 597 493
Media Relations, Americas Matthew Klar T +1 514 608
4429
Media Relations, Asia Grant Donald T +65 6679 9290 M +65
9722 6028
Investor Relations, Australia Natalie Worley T +61 3 9283
3063 M +61 409 210 462
Amar Jambaa T +61 3 9283 3627 M +61 472 865 948
Investor Relations, United Kingdom Menno Sanderse T: +44
20 7781 1517 M: +44 7825 195 178
David Ovington T +44 20 7781 2051 M +44 7920 010 978
Rio Tinto plc 6 St James’s Square London SW1Y 4AD United
Kingdom T +44 20 7781 2000 Registered in England No. 719885
Rio Tinto Limited Level 7, 360 Collins Street Melbourne
3000 Australia T +61 3 9283 3333 Registered in Australia ABN 96 004
458 404
Category: Pilbara
Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2024 to May 2024
Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2023 to May 2024