Rio to build biggest solar farm in Canada’s north to help power diamond mine

Mining giant Rio Tinto is to build what it says is the biggest solar farm in the north of Canada – just south of the Arctic Circle – to help power the winding down and closure work of the massive Diavik diamond mine.

The 55.4MW solar farm will feature 6,600 bi-facial solar panels, which can generate electricity from direct sunlight and also light that reflects back from the snow that covers the mine for most of the year.

It will be added to an existing hybrid wind and diesel power plant and will power around 25 per cent of electricity consumption of Diavik, which is due to stop production in 2026 and continue closure work until 2029.

Rio Tinto estimates that the solar farm will generate around 4,200 megawatt-hours of electricity a year for the mine, which suggests a capacity factor of less than nine per cent, which may not be surprising given its high latitude. It will reduce diesel consumption by around one million litres a year.

“Through its wind-diesel hybrid power facility, Diavik is already a leader in cold climate renewable technology and this important project reinforces our dedication to reducing our carbon footprint,” said Angela Big, the president and COO of the Diavik mine.

The project is supported by $C3.3 million in funding from the Government of the Northwest Territories’ Large Emitters GHG Reducing Investment Grant program, which redistributes monies raised from there region’s carbon tax.

A further $C600,000 will be provided through the government of Canada’s Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit.

Construction will start in coming weeks and the solar power plant will be fully operational in the first half of 2024.

No decision has yet been made on the fate of the renewable energy facilities after the closure work is completed. All the buildings and facilities will be removed from the area.

The mine operator says it is working with the local government and community partners to determine how it can best benefit the region following closure.

Divak is Canada’s largest diamond producer and produces 3.5 to 4.5 million carats of rough diamonds per annum. It is located around 200kms south of the Arctic Circle.