Rio Tinto said it is working to secure a more sustainable power supply for the Gove Peninsula in the Northern Territory with two 5.25-megawatt solar farms. Following agreement with the Gumatj and Rirratjingu Traditional Owner Groups on the location of the facilities, the farms will be built on Rio Tinto leases and will help underpin a low-carbon future for the community after bauxite mining ceases this decade.
Aggreko will construct, own and operate the solar farms for Rio Tinto for up to 10 years, beginning construction in July 2024 and with completion scheduled for early 2025. The two sites will have a combined capacity of 10.5 MW.
“We’re excited to work with the Gumatj and Rirratjingu clans to provide an opportunity to secure alternative electricity generation assets on their country and to discuss opportunities to commercialise energy infrastructure in the future,” said Rio Tinto Gove Operations Acting General Manager Shannon Price.
“We are working in partnership with the Northern Territory Government and Traditional Owners to ensure a smooth transition of leased land and town assets and infrastructure as Rio Tinto prepares to stop mining at Gove later this decade.”
When complete, the solar farms are expected to reduce the region’s annual diesel consumption by about 20%, or 4.5 million litres a year, and lower annual carbon emissions by over 12,000 tonnes. The farms are also expected to reduce annual CO2e emissions at Rio’s Gove operations by up to 17%.
Source: Rio Tinto