Rio Tinto and Sumitomo Corporation have received approval and co-funding of A$32.1 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) for their Yarwun Hydrogen Calcination Pilot Demonstration Program. The program aims to reduce carbon emissions from the alumina refining process and will involve the construction of a hydrogen plant in Gladstone, Queensland.

The project will include the retrofitting of refinery processing equipment and the construction of a 2.5MW on-site electrolyser to supply hydrogen to the Yarwun refinery. The program will demonstrate the viability of using hydrogen in the calcination process, which involves heating hydrated alumina to high temperatures.

If successful, the program could lead to the widespread adoption of hydrogen technology in alumina refining globally. The trial is expected to produce approximately 6,000 tonnes of alumina per year while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 3,000 tonnes annually.

Construction is scheduled to commence in 2024, and the hydrogen plant and calciner are expected to be operational by 2025. Sumitomo Corporation will own and operate the electrolyser, supplying hydrogen directly to Rio Tinto. The electrolyser will have a production capacity of more than 250 tonnes of hydrogen per year.

Rio Tinto is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and aims to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030. The project aligns with their efforts to decarbonize operations and transition to cleaner energy sources. Sumitomo Corporation sees the project as an opportunity to contribute to Rio Tinto's decarbonization goals and work towards their own vision of carbon neutrality by 2050.