The Anglo-Australian mining group Rio Tinto has signed a 25-year PPA with the renewable energy company Windlab to acquire 80% of the power generation from the Bungaban wind project to power its smelting and refining operations in Gladstone, Queensland (Australia). The Bungaban wind park is currently in an early development phase and will be built and operated by Windlab at 40 km of the town of Wandoan in Queensland. The project is still subject to development and grid connection approvals, is scheduled to start construction in late 2025 and is expected to begin commercial operations by 2029. The remaining 20% of its production will be left to supply Australia’s National Electricity Market.
In January 2024, Rio Tinto signed a 25-year PPA with European Energy Australia to buy all power generated from the 1.1 GW Upper Calliope solar plant, in an effort to supply with renewable power its three Gladstone production assets (the Boyne aluminium smelter, the Yarwun alumina refinery and the Queensland alumina refinery). According to the company’s estimates, its production assets require of 4 GW of wind or solar power to meet their energy demand.
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