Tag Archives: Weipa

Aggreko solar power, BESS solution to help Rio Tinto cut Weipa Scope 2 emissions by 10%

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Aggreko has successfully won the bid to build, own and operate a 12.4 MW solar farm and 8.8 MW/2.1 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) under a long-term power purchase agreement for Rio Tinto’s Amrun project in Weipa, 800 km from Cairns in far north Queensland.

Rio Tinto said the project, which will supplement power currently supplied by Aggreko’s diesel generators, will help it reduce Scope 2 emissions at its Weipa operations by up to 10%.

Once operational, Aggreko’s 12.4 MW solar farm and BESS are expected to reduce Amrun’s diesel electricity consumption by 37% or approximately 5.5 million litres of diesel fuel per year. This will reduce annual CO2 emissions by approximately 14,000 t, which is the equivalent of taking 3,100 internal combustion engine cars off the road.

Rio Tinto General Manager Weipa Operations, Shona Markham, said the miner is committed to delivering sustainable, low-carbon bauxite to its customers.

“The construction of the Amrun solar farm and BESS, which is located on Wik and Wik-Waya Traditional lands, is an important milestone for Weipa operations and will contribute to Rio Tinto’s commitment to reduce operational greenhouse gas emissions,” she said.

The remote location and power effectiveness made Aggreko the ideal company to build, own, operate and maintain the Amrun solar farm, it said. Aggreko’s capabilities will ensure Rio Tinto has constant and efficient energy for critical applications and day-to-day use at Amrun.

George Whyte, Managing Director of Aggreko Asia Pacific, said his team has delivered many similar applications and the focus now is completing the job on time and safely.

“At Aggreko, we pride ourselves on our exceptional safety record,” Whyte said. “The existing power stations’ performance is essential for all Weipa operations, and as we look into the future, we are confident that the introduction of solar will help both companies achieve our decarbonisation targets.”

Early works have commenced on the Amrun solar farm, which is expected to be operational by early 2025, with no interruption to local power services. Once completed, the Amrun solar farm will provide around 21 GWh/y of renewable power.

Rio Tinto completed the commissioning of the Amrun bauxite mine in 2019. The mine and associated processing and port facilities replaced production from Rio Tinto’s depleting East Weipa mine, increasing annual bauxite export capacity by around 10 Mt at that time.

JUWI commissions ‘world’s largest’ solar hybrid project at Egyptian mine site

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JUWI says it has commissioned the world’s largest solar hybrid project at Centamin’s Sukari mine in Egypt, helping the gold miner save more than 20 million litres of diesel a year.

The system consists of a 36 MW solar farm and a 7.5 MW battery-energy storage system, which have been integrated into the existing diesel power station at the operation. This will provide savings of up to 70,000 liters of diesel per day, according to JUWI, resulting in an average reduction in diesel consumption of 22 million liters per year.

The system demonstrates the key role of renewable energies in decarbonising the resource sector and already delivers savings ahead of expectations, according to JUWI.

Centamin noted in October that it was in the final stages of commissioning the solar plant at the operation.

The solar system designed by JUWI has maximised the generation with bifacial solar photovoltaic modules and a single axis tracking system, taking advantage of the high irradiance on site. JUWI Hybrid IQ micro-grid technology enables the integration of the solar and battery system into the existing off-grid network and supports the operation of the existing power station, it says.

The additional benefits of the hybrid power solution at Sukari, according to JUWI, include lowering the site’s carbon emissions by an estimated 60,000 t CO2/y and a subsequent reduction in the volume of diesel trucked to the site, plus a reduction in operating costs

Stephan Hansen, COO and Managing Director of JUWI,said: “We are delighted to have been able to deliver this flagship project to Centamin and, furthermore, to have been able to demonstrate the vital role that dependable solar, wind and battery solutions can already play in the transformation of the resource sector on the de-carbonisation pathway.”

JUWI has already achieved success for mining clients globally with the world’s first utility scale solar battery hybrid project at the DeGrussa Copper mine in Australia. This was followed by Agnew Gold (Australia) in 2019 and another six hybrid projects in Australia and Africa for Tier 1 and Mid Tier miners: Esperance, Pan African Resources, Jacinth Ambrosia, Jabiru, Weipa and Gruyere.

Motorola Solutions keeps essential services running at Rio Tinto aluminium ops

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Motorola Solutions says it is helping Rio Tinto’s aluminium business continue supplying its customers while protecting people and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two companies partnered to design and roll out a back-up communications solution for Rio Tinto Aluminium’s Integrated Operations Centre (IOC), in Brisbane, Queensland. The system enables continued critical communications between mines during an emergency and was developed and deployed in just five days, according to Motorola.

The existing IOC provides 24/7 monitoring of all safety, production and quality aspects at bauxite mines in Weipa, Queensland, and Gove, Northern Territory, and is essential to coordinating Rio Tinto’s bauxite supply to Australia alumina plants and export markets, the company said. Rio’s Weipa operations include three bauxite mines, processing facilities, shiploaders, an export wharf, two ports, power stations, a rail network and ferry terminals; while Gove produced 12.2 Mt of bauxite last year.

“If the IOC becomes inaccessible for any reason, Rio Tinto can continue tracking mine production movements via its mission-critical TETRA digital two-way radio communications system, which feeds directly into the mining organisation’s Disaster Recovery Centre,” Motorola said.

Rio Tinto uses a combination of TETRA DIMETRA™ and MOTOTRBO™ radio handsets and dispatch consoles across the mine sites to monitor and manage field operations safely and efficiently, it added.

“The solution forms an important part of Rio Tinto’s business continuity plans to keep operations running safely throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling commercial supply chain continuity and planning for future eventualities,” Motorola said.

Martin Chappell, General Manager of Energy and Natural Resources for Motorola Solutions Australia & New Zealand, said: “Any communications equipment used in mining must adhere to the highest standards to keep workers safe and maintain security and reliability across the entire operation.

“Through a combination of rugged radios, purpose-built dispatch consoles and essential back-up links, we are providing Rio Tinto Aluminium with effective protection for its people and assets to ensure business continuity throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.”