Edify Energy has agreed to provide solar power and battery storage capacity to energise Rio Tinto’s Gladstone aluminium operations in Queensland, Australia.
Both companies have signed two new solar and battery hybrid services agreements (HSAs), which are integral to repowering its Gladstone aluminium operations with lower carbon energy.
Rio Tinto will acquire 90% of the electricity and battery storage capacity produced by Edify’s Smoky Creek and Guthrie’s Gap solar power stations for 20 years.
Edify will be responsible for the construction, ownership and operation of the projects, with work set to commence in late 2025 and aiming for completion in 2028.
Edify Energy chief executive John Cole stated: “The Smoky Creek and Guthrie’s Gap solar power stations deliver the latest in solar, battery and inverter technology to support Australia’s power needs.
“This collaboration is an important commitment to supporting the sustainable future of Australia’s industrial sector. We are proud to advance Rio Tinto’s goals to repower its Gladstone operations and to play a role in the transition to a low-carbon economy.”
The Smoky Creek and Guthrie’s Gap solar power stations in Central Queensland will collectively have 600MWac [megawatts alternating current] of solar capacity and 600MW/2,400 megawatt hours (MWh) of battery storage.
The HSAs will help Rio Tinto ensure a total of 2.7GW of future wind and solar energy in Queensland and the 2.2GW of renewable wind and solar power purchase agreements signed in 2024 for its Gladstone operations.
The four contracted projects will supply 80% of Boyne smelter’s annual electricity needs, reducing its scope 1 and 2 emissions [emissions from sources it owns or controls and emissions which are a consequence of its activities but occur from sources not owned or controlled by it] by 70%, or 5.6Mt of CO₂ equivalent annually.
Rio Tinto’s 90% stake in the Smoky Creek and Guthrie’s Gap battery system capacity totals 2,160MWh, which will supply 30% of the firming needed to transition the Boyne smelter to renewable energy.
It will store renewable energy for use during peak demand or when solar output is low, boosting the stability and resilience of Queensland’s power network
Rio Tinto’s integrated aluminium production chain in Queensland is a key economic driver, employing 4,500 people and supporting thousands more jobs.
The company’s Gladstone operations provide 3,000 jobs, including 1,000 at the Boyne smelter.
Rio Tinto’s three production sites in the Gladstone region include the Boyne aluminium smelter, the Yarwun alumina refinery and the Queensland alumina refinery.
Rio Tinto Australia chief executive Kellie Parker stated: “For the first time, we have integrated crucial battery storage in our efforts to make the Boyne aluminium smelter globally cost-competitive, as traditional energy sources become more expensive.
“We continue to investigate further renewable energy investments to repower our Gladstone aluminium operations.”
