Townsville Bulletin

Refinery reaps solar farm rewards

- TONY RAGGATT

THE Sun Metals zinc refinery in Townsville is striving to be the first to produce “green zinc” and achieve net zero emissions.

To do this, the Korea Zinc group company is making huge investment­s in renewable energy. Already it has invested $200m into this solar farm, built surroundin­g the Stuart refinery. Earlier this year, its sister company Ark Energy reached agreement with Spanish multinatio­nal Acciona to acquire a 30 per cent stake in the 923.4MW Macintyre wind farm project near

Warwick in southern Queensland. The investment will amount to about $450m with the 30 per cent equity offtake providing electricit­y to meet a further 63 per cent of

Sun Metals’ power requiremen­ts. The Townsville refinery will be the forerunner to the group’s wider energy plans.

Last month Korea Zinc inc signed signed the RE100 Initiative, a global global effort effort to move to 100 per cent nt renewable energy. Korea Zinc chief executive Yun B. Choi said: “In the midst of a worsening crisis of climate change, Korea

Zinc is grateful for the opportunit­y to join RE100. Believing that RE100 membership will become one of those defining moments in our corporate history, Korea Zinc will ensure that our innovative DNA continues to pursue sustainabi­lity goals such as carbon neutrality and circular economy.”

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 ?? ?? Solar farm technician Luke Bukojemski at Sun Metals.
Picture: Shae Beplate
Solar farm technician Luke Bukojemski at Sun Metals. Picture: Shae Beplate

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