Rio Tinto, Sumitomo to trial low carbon alumina

Rio Tinto and Sumitomo Corporation will trial hydrogen calcination technology at Yarwun Alumina refinery after a $32.1 million funding boost from the Australian government.

The federal government's Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) today announced the funding towards the Rio Tinto and Sumitomo Yarwun Hydrogen Calcination Pilot Demonstration Program in Gladstone, Queensland.

The demonstration program is valued at $111.1 million and is intended to reduce emissions in alumina refining.

Sumitomo will own and operate a 2.5 megawatt electrolyser at Rio Tinto’s Yarwin site to directly supply hydrogen to the mining giant.

The electrolyser will have a production capacity of more than 250 tonnes of hydrogen a year.

The project will also include a retrofit of one of the refinery’s calciners, which traditionally use fossil fuels for process heat, to operate with a hydrogen burner.

Rio Tinto Aluminium Pacific Operations managing director Armando Torres said the pilot plant was an important step in testing whether hydrogen could replace natural gas in Queensland alumina refineries.

“At Rio Tinto we have put the energy transition at the heart of our business strategy, and this is one of the ways we’re working towards decarbonising our operations,” he said.

“We are proud to be developing this new technology here in Gladstone, in partnership with Sumitomo Corporation, and with support from ARENA.”

The trial is expected to produce the equivalent of about 6,000 tonnes of alumina every year, with an annual reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by about 3,000 tonnes.

Australia is the world’s largest exporter of alumina, contributing $7.5 billion to the nation’s GDP, according to ARENA.

“We are excited to be delivering this hydrogen project together with Rio Tinto as our long-term partner with the support of ARENA,” Sumitomo Corporation Energy Innovation Initiative director Seiji Kitajima said.

“Demonstrating real-world applications of hydrogen in industrial settings with motivated partners is essential to reducing carbon emissions and working toward our company’s vision of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

“Through this demonstration, Sumitomo Corporation aims to venture into the commercialisation project to contribute to Rio Tinto’s decarbonisation.

“Sumitomo Corporation is proud to be working on yet another hydrogen project in Australia and contributing to Australia’s own emission reductions goals.”

ARENA chief executive Darren Miller said the project was an important step in the development for hydrogen calcination and the decarbonisation of the alumina production process.

“This world-first pilot looks to prove a promising technology for decarbonising one of our most emissions intensive industries,” he said.

“Having already backed an encouraging feasibility study, we’re excited to be working with Rio Tinto and Sumitomo Corporation to build on that success and trial hydrogen calcination in the field.

“If this pilot project is successful, it could be a game changer for Australian alumina production, paving the way for deployment across the industry, and underscoring the importance of low-cost green hydrogen to decarbonise our largest industrial emitters.

“ARENA will continue to support projects at this scale as we develop other larger programs, such as Hydrogen Headstart.”

ARENA previously supported Rio Tinto’s feasibility study for the demonstration program with a $580,000 grant in 2021.