Rio Tinto is installing two new solar farms to secure sustainable energy for its bauxite mine on the Gove Peninsula in the Northern Territory.

Once the two 5.25-megawatt solar farms are operational, they will reduce the power station's diesel consumption by about 20%, or 4.5 million litres a year.

The mining giant also expects the project to reduce its annual carbon emissions by over 12,000 tonnes, which is equivalent to removing 2,800 cars from the road.

Rio Tinto Gove operations acting general manager Shannon Price said: "The Gove solar project is part of our shared vision with Traditional Owners to leave a positive legacy for the Gove Peninsula communities after bauxite mining ceases.

"We're working in partnership with the NT government and Traditional Owners to ensure a smooth transition of leased land and town assets and infrastructure as Rio Tinto prepares to stop mining at Gove later this decade."

The new solar farms will be built on Gumatj and Rirratjingu country, the largest Traditional Owners groups who are signatories to the RTA Gove Traditional Owners Agreement.

Aggreko, an energy solutions company, has been contracted to build and operate the solar farms for Rio Tinto for up to 10 years, with completion scheduled for early next year.

Rio Tinto's Gove site in the NT has been supplying the global aluminium industry with bauxite for more than 40 years.

Gove bauxite is shipped internationally and supplies the Queensland Alumina and Yarwun refineries in Gladstone, Queensland.

These refineries produce alumina as feedstock for Rio Tinto's Australian aluminium smelting operations and for sale on the international market.

Source: Energy News Bulletin