Rio Tinto’s 600MW Solar Shift: Powering Gladstone Industry Cleanly
Affiliate Disclosure
Hey fellow impactful ninja ?
You may have noticed that Impactful Ninja is all about providing helpful information to make a positive impact on the world and society. And that we love to link back to where we found all the information for each of our posts.
Most of these links are informational-based for you to check out their primary sources with one click.
But some of these links are so-called "affiliate links" to products that we recommend.
Why do we add these product links?
First and foremost, because we believe that they add value to you. For example, when we wrote a post about the environmental impact of long showers, we came across an EPA recommendation to use WaterSense showerheads. So we linked to where you can find them. Or, for many of our posts, we also link to our favorite books on that topic so that you can get a much more holistic overview than one single blog post could provide.
And when there is an affiliate program for these products, we sign up for it. For example, as Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.
What do these affiliate links mean for you?
First, and most importantly, we still only recommend products that we believe add value for you.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission - but at no additional costs to you.
And when you buy something through a link that is not an affiliate link, we won’t receive any commission but we’ll still be happy to have helped you.
What do these affiliate links mean for us?
When we find products that we believe add value to you and the seller has an affiliate program, we sign up for it.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission (at no extra costs to you).
And at this point in time, all money is reinvested in sharing the most helpful content with you. This includes all operating costs for running this site and the content creation itself.
What does this mean for me personally?
You may have noticed by the way Impactful Ninja is operated that money is not the driving factor behind it. It is a passion project of mine and I love to share helpful information with you to make a positive impact on the world and society. However, it's a project in that I invest a lot of time and also quite some money.
Eventually, my dream is to one day turn this passion project into my full-time job and provide even more helpful information. But that's still a long time to go.
Stay impactful,
At Impactful Ninja, we curate positive and impactful news for you. Follow us on Google News or sign up for our free newsletter to get these delivered straight to your inbox—just like our expert roundup below!
📰 The quick summary: A major renewable energy deal will now power 80% of Rio Tinto’s Gladstone aluminum smelter with solar energy and battery storage, reducing facility emissions by 70% and supporting clean industrial production.
📈 One key stat: The solar and battery projects will reduce the facility’s direct emissions by 5.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, equivalent to taking over a million cars off the road.
💬 One key quote: “Australia’s most energy intensive sectors are backing renewables because they are more reliable, cheaper and cleaner than fossil fuel alternatives,” said John Grimes, Smart Energy Council chief executive.
1️⃣ The big picture: Rio Tinto has made a major move toward renewable energy by signing 20-year agreements to power its Gladstone aluminum operations with solar energy and battery storage. The mining company will purchase 90% of the power from two new solar stations in central Queensland, along with battery capacity. Combined with existing renewable agreements, this means 80% of the Boyne smelter’s substantial electricity needs will now be met by renewable sources. The project includes 600MW of solar power and 600MW/2,400MWh of battery storage, with construction set to begin in late 2025.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: This renewable energy transition demonstrates that even energy-intensive industries can successfully shift to clean power sources. The deal helps secure affordable, reliable electricity for thousands of jobs in the region while dramatically cutting emissions. The battery storage component helps solve intermittency issues, proving renewables can reliably power heavy industry. This sets an important precedent for decarbonizing other industrial facilities and shows Australia can remain competitive in clean manufacturing.
3️⃣ What’s next: Construction on the solar and battery projects will begin in late 2025, with completion expected in 2028. Rio Tinto plans to continue investigating additional renewable energy opportunities to support its Gladstone operations. The company aims to maintain its position as a competitive producer of low-carbon aluminum to meet growing global demand for sustainably-produced metals.
Read the full story here: The Guardian – Rio Tinto’s solar power and battery purchase for Gladstone aluminium operations praised as ‘right direction’
