Rio Tinto & Sumitomo to Build A$111M Hydrogen Plant in Gladstone
Rio Tinto and Sumitomo Corporation are set to build a hydrogen plant in Gladstone, Australia, aiming to reduce carbon emissions from alumina refining. The project, worth A$111.1 million, involves constructing a 2.5MW on-site electrolyser and retrofitting refinery processing equipment. It received A$32.1 million co-funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).
The pilot plant, expected to be operational by 2025, will produce 6,000 tonnes of alumina annually and cut CO2 emissions by 3,000 tonnes per year. Hydrogen Utility, a subsidiary of Sumitomo Corporation, will own and operate the electrolyser, supplying the hydrogen directly to Rio Tinto. The project follows a successful A$1.2 million feasibility study co-funded by Rio Tinto and ARENA in 2021.
The plant will demonstrate the viability of using hydrogen in the calcination process at high temperatures. If successful, converting the entire plant to green hydrogen could reduce emissions by 500,000 tonnes per year, equivalent to taking 109,000 cars off the road. Rio Tinto aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and reduce Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 50% by 2030.
The hydrogen plant project in Gladstone is a significant step towards Rio Tinto's sustainability goals. With construction starting in 2024, the plant's success could pave the way for broader adoption of green hydrogen in heavy industry, accelerating the transition to a low-carbon future.
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