Yindjibarndi Energy Corporation's ambition to be a key player in Australia's clean energy transition received a boost in the Pilbara on Friday after signing a memorandum of understanding with Rio Tinto.
The MOU will explore opportunities for YEC and Rio Tinto to collaborate on renewable energy projects on Yindjibarndi country in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Rio Tinto and YEC will evaluate several clean energy opportunities including wind and solar power, as well as battery energy storage systems, with an initial focus on the potential development of a solar-power generation facility for the supply of energy to the iron ore giant.
Rio operates four gas-fired power stations in the Pilbara, with roughly 600MW to 700MW of renewable generation estimated to be required to displace the majority of gas use across its network, with the company currently assessing the development of 300MW of solar projects.
If progressed, the collaborative opportunities would complement renewable energy developments on Rio Tinto Iron Ore's electricity grid.
YEC was established in June after an agreement between Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation and renewable energy developer ACEN Corporation to progress the development of major renewable energy projects on Yindjibarndi Ngurra (country) – an area covering approximately 13,000km2 within the Yindjibarndi native title areas.
YEC's initial plans include a Stage 1 target of 750MW of combined wind, solar, and battery storage with construction to commence within the next few years. The collaboration opportunities being considered by Rio and YEC relate to some of these Stage 1 projects.
YAC chief executive Michael Woodley said Yindjibarndi Ngurra was ideally suited to developing renewable energy generation.
"This will strengthen our existing partnership and provide long term benefits for our community, while also ensuring that we can protect and preserve the areas of cultural, spiritual and environmental significance within our Ngurra," he said in Roebourne on Friday.
Rio Tinto has committed to reducing its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 across its global operations, committing at least $7.5 billion on decarbonisation projects predominantly in the second half of the decade to support its long-term goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
The company and YAC last year jointly agreed to coooperatively work to create more direct and indirect employment opportunities for the Yindjibarndi people via Rio's operations and build sustainable community benefits.
Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Simon Trott said the company was focused on repowering its Pilbara operations with renewable energy by replacing gas and diesel with clean energy alternatives through to 2030 and beyond.
"The Pilbara has abundant year-round sunshine and strong winds at night, making it an attractive and unique place to harness solar and wind power for energy generation," he said at a press conference in Roebourne on Friday.
"We recognise we have a large carbon footprint in the Pilbara and are exploring several solutions to address this."
He hinted this could include future collaborations with other Traditional Owner groups.
Rio Tinto's rail network, which connects its Pilbara mines to ports at Cape Lambert and Dampier in WA, traverses Yindjibarndi Country. It has held a Participation Agreement and Indigenous Land Use Agreement with YAC, the representative body for the Yindjibarndi people, since 2013.
