Rio Tinto Pacific Operations Hydrogen Program
- $579k Funded by ARENA
- $1.16m Total project cost
Summary
The Rio Tinto Pacific Operations Hydrogen Program is a technical feasibility study investigating the use of renewable hydrogen to partially decarbonise alumina refining at Rio Tinto’s Yarwun alumina refinery in Gladstone, Queensland.
Need
Rio Tinto’s alumina refining process in Australia contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions. Current calcination technology uses air and natural gas to calcine alumina hydrate, which forms part of the alumina refining process. Decarbonising alumina refining will require developing an alternative low emissions pathway to calcine alumina hydrate.
Learn more
Report: Rio Tinto Hydrogen Feasibility Study
This feasibility study report considers the calcination of alumina as an opportunity for decarbonisation by substituting natural gas with hydrogen.
Media Release: Renewable Hydrogen Could Reduce Emissions in Alumina Refining
ARENA announced funding to Rio Tinto to support a feasibility study investigating the potential to partially decarbonise its alumina refining operations using renewable hydrogen.
Action
The Rio Tinto Pacific Operations Hydrogen Program will look to the technical feasibility of using renewable hydrogen in calcination, and includes the following activities:
- Laboratory test work to provide confirmation of the calcination flow sheet and mass balance
- Engineering study to understand the technical and safety implications of storing and utilising renewable hydrogen at the Yarwun alumina refinery, including determining the feasibility for the renewable hydrogen supply
- Calcination retrofit engineering concept study to determine the technical feasibility of retrofitting a calcination unit to use renewable hydrogen for a pilot program at the Yarwun alumina refinery.
Outcome
The results of the project will improve understanding as to the technical feasibility of replacing natural gas with hydrogen as part of the calcination of gibbsite in alumina refining. It will also improve understanding of whether the existing calcination technology can be retrofitted to integrate hydrogen, and whether hydrogen can be integrated safely.
ARENAWIRE Blogs
Rio Tinto to scope renewable alumina refining
A second aluminium producer will explore whether renewable energy can displace fossil fuels in their alumina refining process.
