The world’s main mining firm, Rio Tinto, has introduced the development of two 5.25MW photo voltaic farms in Gumatj and Rirratjingu, a conventional nation on the Gove Peninsula, Northern Territory. This is a vital step in direction of making certain a sustainable energy provide. Gumatj and Rirratjingu, Traditional Owner Groups have authorized the photo voltaic farms, which can be constructed by Rio Tinto leases.
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Construction is scheduled to start in July 2024 and be accomplished in early 2025. The two websites will collectively provide a capability of 10.5MW, marking a serious contribution to the area’s renewable vitality infrastructure.
This challenge highlights Rio Tinto’s dedication to sustainability and partnership with Indigenous communities, paving the way in which for a cleaner and extra sustainable vitality future within the Northern Territory.
Shannon Price, Acting General Manager of Rio Tinto Gove Operations, mentioned, “The Gove photo voltaic challenge is a part of our shared imaginative and prescient with Traditional Owners to depart a optimistic legacy for Gove communities. Peninsula after bauxite mining stopped.”
“We are excited to work with the Gumatj and Rirratjingu clans to offer a chance to safe different property for electrical energy technology of their nation and to debate alternatives for the commercialization of vitality infrastructure sooner or later.”
“We are working with the Northern Territory Government and Traditional Owners to make sure a easy transition of leased land and city property and infrastructure as Rio Tinto prepares to stop mining at Gove on the finish of this decade.”
“We are dedicated to our function in serving to to plan for the area’s future, which incorporates offering choices for dependable, reasonably priced and environmentally sustainable infrastructure.”
“Solar farms are additionally a part of our ongoing dedication to decarbonize our enterprise. Once operational, they’re anticipated to scale back annual CO2e emissions in our Gove operations as much as 17 p.c. We intend for these farms to help sustainable energy for the area past mining.”
Upon completion, the photo voltaic farms are anticipated to scale back the area’s annual diesel consumption by roughly 20 p.c, or 4.5 million liters per 12 months. In addition, they are going to scale back annual carbon emissions by greater than 12,000 tons, equal to eradicating 2,800 inside combustion engine autos from the street.
Rio Tinto’s Gove website in Australia’s Northern Territory has provided the world’s aluminum trade with grade bauxite for greater than 40 years. Gove bauxite is shipped internationally and used to produce Queensland Alumina Limited and Yarwun refineries in Gladstone, Queensland. These refineries produce alumina as feedstock to Rio Tinto’s Australian aluminum smelting operations and offered on the worldwide market.
Bauxite mining operations on the Gove Peninsula are anticipated to finish later this decade, and work is already underway to help operational closure and rehabilitation of the refinery, mine website and tailings services.
To acquire complete insights into the worldwide bauxite mining sector’s sustainability efforts and prioritizing social accountability within the transition to a greener future, contemplate accessing the report targeted on AL Circle trade, “Sustaining the Global Aluminum Industry.”