Rio Tinto Goes Its Own Way With Renewable Energy - CleanTechnica

The article highlights Rio Tinto’s strategic shift toward renewable energy to reduce its carbon footprint and support Queensland’s energy transition. As one of Australia’s largest mining companies with operations in 35 countries, Rio Tinto aims to cut emissions from its operations by 50% by 2030. A key development is its agreement with Edify Energy to supply solar power to its Gladstone aluminium smelter through two new solar farms scheduled to come online in 2028. These farms will deliver 600 MW of solar capacity paired with 2,400 MWh of battery storage, boosting Rio Tinto’s total renewable energy procurement in Queensland to 2.7 GW. This renewable supply is expected to meet 80% of the Boyne smelter’s electricity demand, cutting its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 70%—equivalent to removing about 2 million internal combustion engine cars from the road annually. The move is particularly significant given the political and energy landscape in Queensland,