Rio/Jackob is fully aware of potential of hydrogen Jul. 12, 2023
Sumitomo Corporation
Rio Tinto and Sumitomo Corporation to build hydrogen pilot plant for world’s first trial lower-carbon alumina refining in Gladstone
Sumitomo Corporation (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President and CEO: Masayuki Hyodo) and Rio Tinto (Head Office: London, UK; Chief Executive: Jakob Stausholm; hereinafter, "Rio Tinto") have agreed to build a pilot plant in Gladstone to trial using hydrogen to replace natural gas in the alumina refining process.
Sumitomo Corporation and Rio Tinto have been proceeding with a study for the construction of a hydrogen pilot plant at Rio Tinto’s Yarwun alumina refinery in Gladstone under a partnership in Aug 2021. Sumitomo Corporation completed its front end engineering and design study (FEED) in March 2022. The A$111 million joint Rio Tinto and Sumitomo Corporation Yarwun Hydrogen Calcination Pilot Demonstration Program is the first of its kind in the world to trial using hydrogen in the refinery calcination process. It will consist of a hydrogen plant at the refinery and retrofit of processing equipment and will be co-funded through a A$32 million grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (hereinafter, “ARENA”) *1.