• Rio Tinto signs a 20-year agreement to purchase 90% of power from Edify Energy’s new solar and battery projects in Queensland.
• The projects will deliver 600MW of solar power and 2,400MWh battery storage, significantly reducing emissions.
• This agreement supports Rio Tinto’s goal of repowering Gladstone aluminium operations, cutting emissions by 70%.

Rio Tinto has partnered with Edify Energy through landmark hybrid services agreements (HSAs) to supply competitively priced, reliable renewable energy for its Gladstone aluminium operations.

Under the new agreements, Rio Tinto will secure 90% of the electricity and battery storage capacity from Edify’s Smoky Creek & Guthrie’s Gap Solar Power Stations, which will collectively provide 600MW of solar capacity and 600MW / 2,400MWh of battery storage. Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2025, with completion expected in 2028.

Rio Tinto’s Chief Executive, Australia, Kellie Parker, emphasized the strategic significance of the agreement:

“These agreements are integral to repowering our Gladstone aluminium operations with affordable, reliable and lower carbon energy for decades to come.”

She highlighted the pivotal inclusion of battery storage:

“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.”

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Edify Energy CEO John Cole also underscored the project’s importance:

“The Smoky Creek & 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.”

Combined with Rio Tinto’s previously announced renewable projects, the new HSAs increase secured renewable capacity in Queensland to 2.7GW. These initiatives are expected to supply approximately 80% of the Boyne smelter’s average annual electricity demand, cutting the smelter’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions by around 70%, or about 5.6Mt CO2 equivalent annually—comparable to removing nearly 2 million internal combustion engine cars from the roads.

Rio Tinto’s share of battery capacity (2,160MWh) from these agreements will provide 30% of the firming required for renewable power at Boyne smelter, ensuring grid stability and resilience during peak demand periods.

Rio Tinto’s aluminium operations significantly contribute to Queensland’s economy, employing over 4,500 workers directly, with more than 3,000 jobs based in Gladstone, including 1,000 at the Boyne smelter.

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