Rio Tinto’s solar power and battery purchase for Gladstone aluminium operations praised as ‘right direction’

Rio Tinto said it would continue to investigate further renewable energy investments to support its Gladstone operations. Photograph: Lincoln Fowler/Alamy

Mining company Rio Tinto will buy solar power and battery storage capacity for its Gladstone aluminium operations in a deal environmentalists have hailed as a “major step” forward.

The company has signed 20-year agreements with Edify Energy to buy 90% of the power and battery storage capacity generated by the Smoky Creek and Guthrie’s Gap solar stations, located in central Queensland, Rio Tinto said.