First Solar to Deliver Diesel-PV Hybrid Solution to Rio Tinto in Australia

First Solar, Inc., Rio Tinto and Ingenero announced that agreement has been reached for the development of the Weipa Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Project in Queensland, Australia. The project has received official confirmation of funding from the Commonwealth Government, with an initial commitment of $3.5 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), to be followed by an allocation of up to $7.8 million for the project’s second phase.

First Solar will leverage its expertise in utility-scale grid integration and plant control systems to offer a FuelSmart solution that provides maximum fuel savings while maintaining system reliability. Combined with Ingenero’s proven design, development and integration experience, the project will generate electricity for Rio Tinto Alcan’s (RTA) Weipa bauxite mine, processing facilities and township on the Western Cape York Peninsula.

The project will have an initial capacity of 1.7 megawatts (MW) with the potential to expand by an additional 5 MW after the commissioning of the initial phase. The first phase of the project will generate sufficient electricity to offset up to 20% of the daytime electricity demand, while reducing the diesel consumption for every MWh of electricity produced.