Rondo Energy and Rio Tinto have commenced front-end engineering and design for Australia’s largest thermal energy storage project, located at Rio Tinto’s Yarwun alumina refinery near Gladstone, Queensland.
The 30MW/360MWh Rondo Heat Battery will store energy as high-temperature heat in refractory brick, supplying energy as 24/7 continuous process heat to help power Rio Tinto’s alumina refining operations.
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Australia regularly has 4-6 hours of surplus solar-generated renewable electricity in the middle of the day, but industrial facilities need heat 24 hours a day, not just when the sun is shining. By charging when electricity is cheap and abundant and discharging continuously, Rondo Heat Batteries turn short periods of low-cost electricity into 24/7 delivery of low-cost steam.
The Rondo Heat Battery will be supported by a grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), delivered in stages, with an initial $3.6 million to complete the front-end engineering and design work.
Following successful completion of a demonstration study, ARENA will provide up to $38 million for deployment. ARENA has also approved up to $33.3 million in conditional contingency support if required.
If progressed, the project will be one of the first large-scale demonstrations of thermal energy storage for industrial process heat globally, and a world-first for the alumina industry.
“This project shows how Australia’s abundant energy can become a competitive advantage for industry,” Rondo’s Australian head Dr Kira Rundel said.
“Heat batteries allow manufacturers to use low-cost electricity to produce the reliable, round-the-clock heat their operations need. Australia’s largest heat battery will show how factories can cut emissions without increasing energy costs, helping Australian industry to increase global competitiveness and supporting local manufacturing jobs.”
Rio Tinto Pacific operations managing director Armando Torres said, “Reducing emissions from alumina refining is complex, particularly when it comes to generating the high-pressure steam needed for our operations.
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“This study will help us determine whether thermal energy storage can provide a technically and economically viable alternative to fossil fuels for part of Yarwun’s steam requirements.”
