Rio Tinto’s Kennecott operation in Utah has entered into a 15-year virtual power purchase agreement with TerraGen. The agreement will see Kennecott sourcing renewable energy from a newly completed wind farm located in Texas. Rio Tinto is a leading global mining group that focuses on finding, mining, and processing the Earth’s mineral resources. The company supplies materials essential to human progress.
Under the terms of the deal, Rio Tinto will purchase 78.5 megawatts of renewable energy. This energy will be generated by TerraGen’s 238.5-megawatt Monte Cristo I Windpower project, which commenced operations on Thursday. This agreement marks a significant step in Rio Tinto’s ongoing commitment to sustainable energy practices.
Rio Tinto has publicly committed to ambitious emissions reductions targets, aiming for a 50 per cent reduction by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Currently, approximately 78 per cent of the electricity Rio Tinto uses globally is derived from renewable sources.
The company is actively pursuing investment and supply decisions aimed at increasing this figure to around 90 per cent by 2030. This agreement with TerraGen demonstrates Rio Tinto’s proactive approach to meeting its sustainability goals and transitioning towards a cleaner energy future.
