- Rio Tinto plans to utilise clean energy in its mine in Madagascar.
- CrossBoundary Energy will construct the hybrid solar/wind plus energy storage plant.
Rio Tinto has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with CrossBoundary Energy (CBE), which will build, own and operate a hybrid power plant. The plant will comprise an 8MW solar park and a 12MW wind farm connected to an 8.25MW lithium-ion energy storage system.CrossBoundary is set to commence the construction of the solar project this year with completion scheduled for early next year while the construction of the nine turbines wind farm will commence next year and be completed by year-end.
The peak generation of the hybrid system will supply all of the mine power needs. Rio Tinto expects the plant to meet 60 per cent of its annual electricity needs. The mine located near Fort Dauphin in the Anosy region is owned by QIT Madagascar Minerals (QMM), a joint venture owned by Rio Tinto (80 per cent) and the Malagasy government (20 per cent).