(PRESS RELEASE) YELLOWKNIFE, CA — Rio Tinto’s Diavik Diamond Mine has accomplished the set up of its 3.5 megawatt capability solar energy plant in Canada’s Northwest Territories. The mission represents the biggest off-grid solar energy plant in your entire territory of Canada.
The 6,620-panel facility is anticipated to generate 4.2 million kilowatt-hours of photo voltaic power per 12 months, cut back Diavik’s diesel consumption by a million liters per 12 months and minimize greenhouse fuel (GHG) emissions by 2,900 tons. which is equal to CO2. This is akin to eradicating 630 automobiles from the street every year.
The solar energy plant will present as much as 25% of Diavik’s electrical energy through the shutdown interval, with business manufacturing on the mine anticipated to finish in 2026 and the shutdown operating till 2029. The facility is supplied with bi facial panels which not solely generates power from direct. daylight, but additionally from mild reflecting off the snow that covers Diavik for a lot of the 12 months.
The photo voltaic mission helps a wind energy plant in Diavik, which has been working since 2012 and is the biggest wind energy set up in Canada’s North, producing greater than 195 million kilowatt-hours of electrical energy since activation.
Diavik Diamond Mine Chief Operating Officer Matthew Breen stated: “The largest off-grid solar energy plant in Canada’s North is our newest dedication to the surroundings through which we dwell and work, and can enhance power effectivity at our Diavik operations.We are proud to prepared the ground for main renewable power initiatives in Canada’s North.
The mission is supported by C$3.3 million in funding from the Large Emitters GHG Reducing Investment Grant Program of the Government of the Northwest Territories.
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This is the primary mission within the Northwest Territories to learn from funding from the Large Emitters Grant, which allocates a part of the carbon tax paid by massive operations akin to Diavik for initiatives that decide to GHG discount initiatives within the territory.
Northwest Territories Infrastructure Minister Caroline Wawzonek stated: “I commend Rio Tinto for finishing the biggest off-grid photo voltaic plant in Northern Canada on the Diavik mine. The mission demonstrates Rio Tinto’s management in terms of lowering of emissions, and heralds the potential for management within the renewable power sector in and across the North. The Government of the Northwest Territories is proud to contribute to the mission via the Large Emitters GHG Reducing Investment Grant program, which supplies funding to business to cut back emissions as a part of our made-in-the-NWT method to the federal carbon tax.”
Construction started in February 2024, contracted to Solvest Inc. primarily based in Whitehorse and the Indigenous-owned Tłı̨chǫ Investment Corporation, with assist from Diavik. Approximately 30% of the development workforce is from the Tłı̨chǫ Investment Corporation.
The CEO of Solvest Inc. Ben Power stated: “Building on the success of their wind farm in-built 2012, Diavik has taken one other important step ahead in demonstrating the viability of renewable power for Northern and off-grid mines. Solvest is proud to have the chance to work with our companions at Tłı̨chǫ Investment Corporation to construct the biggest off-grid solar energy plant in Canada’s North. We imagine this mission supplies a blueprint to speed up the mixing of photo voltaic in mines throughout Canada and the Northern areas.
Diavik is working with the Government of the Northwest Territories and neighborhood companions to find out how renewable power infrastructure will greatest profit the area after the shutdown.
Rio Tinto is advancing decarbonization initiatives throughout its international operations, with the objective of lowering its Scope 1 and a couple of GHG emissions by 50% by 2030 and to realize web zero throughout its operations. in 2050.
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