Rio Tinto, recently announced that it has teamed up with Imperial College London to launch the Rio Tinto Centre for Future Materials. It’s a groundbreaking initiative to accelerate the development of sustainable techniques and technologies for delivering materials crucial for the energy transition.

Rio Tinto Boosts UK’s Clean Energy Ambitions

UK’s Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said,

“This investment is a major vote of confidence in the UK and will help us find new sustainable ways to deliver our renewable energy transition, supporting our ambition to become a clean energy superpower. Bringing together academic innovation and industry is vital to secure our vital supply of critical minerals, and create the economic growth our country needs.”

Coming to the funding, the mining giant has invested $150 million into the research center over the next decade, bringing top researchers and industry experts together in one platform. Its goal is to transform the way materials are sourced, processed, used, and recycled to make them more environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable.

The initiative aligns with the UK Government’s vision to establish the country as a “clean energy superpower,” as outlined in its recent Industrial Strategy Green Paper. The UK recognizes clean energy industries as a driving force for economic growth. This is significant particularly because renewable energy demands increased production of essential metals and minerals.

Thus, this initiative received “a major vote of confidence in the UK” from the UK Government.

Revenue of the leading mining companies headquartered in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2023Source: Statista

Rio Tinto Chief Executive, Jakob Stausholm, said,

“Innovative partnerships between industry and academia are critical for the world to meet the deeply physical and complex challenge of the global energy transition. The Rio Tinto Centre for Future Materials should become a global hub for investment and collaboration that will ultimately create the conditions for technological breakthroughs.”

He further added that innovation has been in Rio Tinto’s DNA since its founding in London over 150 years ago. He emphasized the company’s continuous efforts to improve how it delivers the materials essential for the world. The partnership with leading research institutions, spearheaded by Imperial College London, will play a key role in advancing this ambition.

What’s Rio Tinto Centre for Future Materials’ Mission? 

Professor Hugh Brady, President of Imperial College London, said:

“The Rio Tinto Centre for Future Materials will co-create and fund research programmes that empower diverse, interdisciplinary teams to deliver innovative and transformative solutions with environment, society, and governance at their core. This work will transform the ways we extract, process, and reuse critical resources to make them more environmentally, economically and socially sustainable.

The clean energy industry, an engine of economic growth, is rightly at the heart of the government’s Industrial Strategy. Imperial – with its strong disciplinary foundations, highly collaborative culture, passion for innovation, and proven convening power – is well placed to support those ambitions.”

Delving deeper into the collaboration, The Rio Tinto Centre for Future Materials will serve as a global hub for innovation, connecting Imperial College London with four leading academic institutions: the University of British Columbia, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of the Witwatersrand, and the Australian National University. This network will address urgent challenges in the materials supply chain needed for the energy transition.

Professor Mary Ryan, Vice Provost (Research and Enterprise) at Imperial College, highlighted the critical role of innovation in achieving electrification goals. She explained that scaling up electrification requires rethinking the technology and economics behind the materials supply chain. The Centre will spearhead cutting-edge, industry-focused research while encouraging groundbreaking, systems-level approaches central to Imperial’s strategy.

• READ MORE: Rio Tinto-Backed Lithium Startup’s $18M Funding: How Can It Revolutionize the Industry?

The First Step: Overcoming the Copper Challenge

Professor Mary Ryan explained that the Centre’s initial focus will be to address the problem of global shortage of copper which is a significant obstacle to electrification. Copper is indispensable for electricity generation, storage, and transmission, yet more copper is needed in the next decade than was mined in the past century. Current supplies fall short of meeting this growing demand.

Research efforts will explore sustainable methods to extract and recycle copper. Key initiatives include:

• Extracting copper from fluids in the Earth’s crust.
• Utilizing microorganisms to harvest metals from rocks with minimal copper content.
• Optimizing waste recovery from old mining sites.

A strong emphasis will also be placed on ESG considerations, ensuring that solutions align with the interests and well-being of native communities.

This ambitious program aims to redefine how critical materials are sourced and utilized, paving the way for sustainable electrification and a greener future.

Unleashing Imperial College London’s Science for Humanity Strategy

Imperial College London’s Science for Humanity strategy makes it a pioneer in tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. As part of this effort, the college is launching four Schools of Convergence Science, including one focused solely on sustainability, to create innovative research communities.

The Rio Tinto Centre for Future Materials aligns with Imperial’s Transition to Zero Pollution (TZP) initiative. This program goes beyond zero carbon goals, targeting all forms of human-induced pollution.

TZP fosters interdisciplinary research, combining science, engineering, health, systems thinking, and policymaking to create comprehensive solutions.

Imperial College has expanded its global reach with the opening of Imperial Global USA in San Francisco. This new hub strengthens partnerships with governments, organizations, and collaborators worldwide, reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and innovation.

                                             Copper Outlook: IEASource: IEA

Rio Tinto and Sumitomo Metal Mining Strike Deal for Copper-Gold Project in Western Australia

In another recent announcement, Rio Tinto and Sumitomo Metal Mining (SMM) signed a Term Sheet for a joint venture to develop the Winu copper-gold project in Western Australia’s Great Sandy Desert. This collaboration marks a significant step toward unlocking the potential of Winu, a low-risk, long-life deposit discovered by Rio Tinto in 2017. Located near Rio Tinto’s Pilbara iron ore operations, Winu holds substantial promise for expansion beyond its initial development.

Strategic Investment and Partnership Terms

Under the Term Sheet, SMM will acquire a 30% equity stake in the Winu project for $399 million. This includes a $195 million upfront payment and $204 million in deferred considerations tied to specific milestones and agreed adjustments. Rio Tinto will continue as the managing partner, overseeing project development and operations.

The agreement also includes exclusivity provisions for finalizing a binding Definitive Agreement by the first half of 2025. Additionally, Rio Tinto and SMM have entered a letter of intent to establish a broader strategic partnership, exploring collaboration in copper, base metals, and lithium.

Rio Tinto remains committed to working closely with the Nyangumarta Traditional Owners, advancing Project Agreement negotiations to ensure their involvement. The company also plans to submit an Environmental Review Document under the EPA Environmental Impact Assessment framework and complete a pre-feasibility study for Winu by 2025. This study will focus on an initial processing capacity of up to 10 million tonnes per annum (mtpa).

As we have seen copper production remains a bright spot in Rio Tinto’s portfolio, with output forecast to reach 780-850kt in 2025.

• FURTHER READING: Seizing the Lithium Boom: Rio Tinto’s $6.7 Billion Deal for Arcadium Lithium 

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Solar-plus-storage systems are rapidly emerging as a game-changing solution in renewable energy. These systems tackle two critical issues: the intermittency of solar power and the mismatch between when solar energy is produced and when it is most needed. 

By combining solar panels with battery storage, these hybrid setups deliver consistent energy, enhance grid reliability, and create new income opportunities for solar plants. Solar facilities can now earn through capacity payments and arbitrage—buying energy at low costs, storing it, and selling it when prices are higher.

What Are Solar-Plus-Storage Systems and How They Tackle Energy Gaps

The U.S. solar industry is expanding rapidly, closing the gap with wind power. Utility-scale solar now totals nearly 120 GW of capacity, compared to 155 GW for wind, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights. 

However, stand-alone solar projects still dominate, accounting for 93 GW, with eight states hosting two-thirds of this capacity. This heavy concentration is causing market saturation in some areas. During peak daytime hours, solar output is so high that energy prices plummet, cutting into solar plant revenues. 

Additionally, many solar facilities must limit or curtail production because peak solar generation around noon does not align with peak energy demand, which typically occurs in the late afternoon or evening. This challenge is particularly pronounced in regions like California and Texas, where record solar curtailments have already occurred in 2024.

Recognizing these issues, developers and grid operators are shifting toward solar-plus-storage systems. These systems integrate batteries with solar facilities to store excess energy generated during the day and release it during peak demand hours. This combination enhances energy reliability and independence.

This shift is evident in the U.S. energy pipeline and grid interconnection queues. 

Today, operational solar-plus-storage systems contribute around 33 GW of capacity, including 22.8 GW of solar power paired with 10 GW of battery storage, per S&P Global data.

• Additionally, 162 GW of hybrid solar-plus-storage projects are in the planning stages, with 42% of capacity dedicated to battery storage.

RELATED: SolarBank Charges Ahead with $3M Boost for Battery Energy Storage System Projects

Many of these new projects are strategically located in “energy communities,” areas eligible for a 10% tax credit bonus under the Inflation Reduction Act. This incentive supplements the base tax credits for investment and production, making these projects even more attractive.

New Revenue Streams Energize Solar-Plus-Storage Systems

The solar-plus-storage market is more concentrated than standalone solar. Per Wood Mackenzie’s report, Tesla Energy and Sunrun dominate the residential segment with nearly 50% market share. Non-residential solar-plus-storage follows a similar trend, with the top six installers capturing over 50% of the market in 2023, compared to just 16% for non-residential solar alone.

The next four largest solar-plus-storage installers—SunPower, Titan Solar Power, Freedom Forever, and Semper Solaris—collectively hold an additional 13% of the market.

The move toward solar-plus-storage is also reflected in grid interconnection requests.

• By April 2024, hybrid solar-plus-storage projects accounted for 658 GW—30% of the total interconnection queue across U.S. grid operators. 

In California, where stand-alone solar projects face market saturation, over 92% of new solar projects seeking interconnection include battery storage.

Over the next decade, experts expect the deployment of solar-plus-storage systems to significantly reshape the energy landscape. These systems will help balance energy supply and demand, reduce curtailment, and increase renewable energy adoption. 

According to S&P Global Market Intelligence’s Power Forecast, utility-scale solar will account for nearly 17% of U.S. electricity generation by 2035, making it the third-largest energy source behind natural gas and wind.

For solar companies, adding battery storage creates exciting new revenue opportunities. These include earnings from arbitrage—charging batteries during low-cost periods and selling stored energy when prices are higher—and capacity revenue, and payments for ensuring resource availability. 

• SEE MORE: Top Solar Titans and How They Power the Green Energy Transition
  

S&P Global shared its annual financial forecast for solar-plus-storage systems market, broken down in different revenue sources.

However, the profitability of these systems varies by region. Factors like natural resources, energy demand patterns, fiscal incentives, and local market dynamics play a significant role. Battery sizing also influences revenues, with smaller solar-to-battery capacity ratios expected to boost arbitrage earnings.

The Global Race in Bridging Solar Supply and Demand Divide

Globally, the solar-plus-storage market is expected to exceed 30 GWh by 2025, with China and the U.S. leading the way, according to the InfoLink report. China’s over 260 GW of installed PV capacity, supported by local policies, positions it as the largest solar-plus-storage market. 

InfoLink projects that by 2025, more than 50% of solar deployments will incorporate storage globally. This trend highlights the intertwined growth of renewable energy and energy storage, providing insights into future regional developments. Solar and wind energy progress serve as key indicators for advancing energy storage systems.

As more hybrid projects come online, solar-plus-storage systems are proving to be a critical piece of the energy transition puzzle. They bridge the gap between energy production and demand, enhance grid stability, and open new financial avenues for solar developers.

With strong policy support and technological advancements, solar-plus-storage could play a leading role in achieving the clean energy goals of tomorrow.

• READ MORE: Biden’s IRA Spurs $34 Billion U.S. Solar Boom, But Can It Overcome Industry Risks?
  

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Planet Labs PBC a leading provider of global, daily satellite imagery and geospatial solutions announced that they have signed a multi-year, seven-figure deal with Laconic, a company leading a global shift in climate finance, empowering governments to monetize natural carbon assets through its Sovereign Carbon securitization platform.

In this deal, Laconic can use Planet’s 3-meter Forest Carbon Monitoring product and 30-meter Forest Carbon product for the next three years.

Laconic’s CEO Andrew Gilmour said,

“Planet’s Forest Carbon products give us a best-in-class data layer from which we can extract critical insights for our customers. The scope of their product is exceptional. Nowhere else could we get trusted forest carbon data at this high of a cadence or resolution.”

The partnership aims to establish a reliable, data-rich system for generating and trading sovereign carbon, a financial asset created by nations to reduce deforestation in their rainforests.

Planet’s Revolutionary Forest Carbon Monitoring System

Forests play a vital role in absorbing carbon dioxide, yet accurately estimating the carbon they store has always been challenging. Traditional methods like ground surveys, costly airborne missions, or inconsistent satellite data have some cons. They are either expensive or impractical on a large scale. Planet’s Forest Carbon Monitoring products address these challenges with advanced, scalable solutions.

What is Forest Carbon Monitoring?

Planet’s Forest Carbon Monitoring provides a global dataset offering detailed estimates of aboveground forest carbon, tree height, and canopy cover. It enables users to analyze every hectare of forest and woodland on Earth. This data uses advanced ML features to combine historical satellite imagery with laser-derived LiDAR data. This ensures high-level precision and scalability.

The system supports crucial activities like carbon project accounting, digital monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV), reforestation efforts, and deforestation tracking. It can monitor the full range of forest changes ranging from massive wildfires to small agricultural clearings and minor deforestation.

Unique Features of Planet’s Forest Carbon Monitoring

Global Coverage at High Resolution: The 3-meter resolution dataset provides quarterly updates on aboveground carbon, canopy height, and cover across the entire Earth. Dating back to 2021, this is the first global monitoring system at such a high resolution.

Historical Archive: The Forest Carbon Diligence product offers global aboveground carbon data at a 30-meter resolution, covering changes since 2013. This historical archive is invaluable for understanding forest dynamics over time.

Advanced AI Integration: The product leverages Planet’s extensive satellite imagery and a global library of LiDAR data. AI processing ensures data accuracy and consistency, making it an affordable alternative without sacrificing scientific quality.

Source: Planet

Why It Matters?

The detailed, consistent data provided by Planet’s products is critical for voluntary carbon markets, regulatory compliance, and deforestation mitigation. Governments can use this system to establish accurate baselines for their forests and measure the success of their carbon sequestration policies. Notably, the system is aligned with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) that defines deforestation boundaries and highlights forest degradation and carbon loss.

The datasheet also provides critical insights for compliance and reporting. This means the data can be used to quantify deforestation with high accuracy. It will further allow stakeholders to track forest changes globally with unmatched precision and confidence.

Now that organizations can access this tool to monitor forest health, they can act effectively against climate change. Additionally, users can chart out impactful reforestation projects, track carbon credits, and contribute to global sustainability goals.

Interestingly, Planet’s Forest Carbon Planetary Variable can measure carbon stocks and forest area changes over time and accurately track losses and gains. The company believes this technique is far more affordable and globally accessible as compared to airborne approaches.

Planet’s CEO Will Marshall expressed his excitement about this partnership by saying,

“It’s time for the world to start valuing trees alive and standing, and putting carbon onto our balance sheets. The technology is here to capture it, and the data is here to validate it. We are very happy about this partnership with Laconic. By getting our Forest Carbon data into their expert hands, we’re excited to see how governments and investors start to make informed carbon trading decisions – changing how we see and value our essential global forests.”

• READ MORE: Laconic Works with Emsurge to Make Carbon Market More Efficient

Laconic’s Sovereign Carbon®: A New Frontier in Climate Finance

Laconic delivers high-end environmental intelligence and data management tools that drive transparency and fairness in carbon-linked financial activities. They empower governments, corporations, and financial institutions to engage openly and fairly in the carbon market.
Now their blueprint Sovereign Carbon tool introduces a transformative financial asset class that can potentially generate $1 trillion annually in carbon trading.

This innovative approach advances global Net-Zero efforts by monetizing natural resources like forests and wetlands and turning them into sustainable revenue streams.

Additionally, their Carbon Securitization Platform delivers real-time, secure data to support large-scale carbon transactions aligned with Article 6.

• This platform empowers nations to convert climate commitments into high-value financial products. This will further retain transparency and trust for governments and investors alike.

For instance, through the Securitized Sovereign Carbon nations can transform their natural capital, such as forests and wetlands, into tradable securities. This creates a profitable alternative to deforestation while attracting institutional investors to conservation efforts.

Laconic is headquartered in Chicago, with offices in Toronto, London, and Singapore. The company’s trademarks—SADAR, LUEI, and LUCID—reflect its dedication to driving environmental and financial innovation. The company proudly withholds its motive to redefine climate finance by channeling investments into emissions reduction while supporting the net zero goals of our planet.

By combining Planet’s meticulous Forest Carbon data with Laconic’s Sovereign Carbon securitization platform and industry expertise, the collaboration aims to unlock new ways to value natural capital and drive sustainability-focused markets.

Source: Planet Partners with Laconic to Deliver AI-Powered Forest Carbon Insights, Aiming to Enable Informed Carbon Credit Trading

• LATEST: Laconic and Bolivia Set New Benchmark with USD$5 Billion Sovereign Carbon Deal 

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Alaska Energy Metals Corporation (AEMC) continues to make significant progress at its flagship Nikolai Project in central Alaska. The company has announced exciting results from its 2024 drilling program, which extended the higher-grade core zone by 600 meters to the southeast and revealed coarse-grained magmatic sulfides—a new target for exploration.

These developments further strengthen AEMC Eureka Deposit’s position as a potential major source of critical minerals essential for clean energy and national security applications.

Its flagship Nikolai Project is a large-scale, polymetallic deposit with significant potential to support America’s clean energy transition. The nickel company also holds the Angliers-Belleterre project in Quebec, targeting high-grade nickel-copper sulfide deposits and potential white hydrogen production.

AEMC Nikolai Project – Property Location Map

Striking Gold—And Nickel: AEMC Expands Its High-Grade Core Zone

AEMC’s 2024 resource expansion drilling program consisted of four diamond drill holes, totaling 1,597.6 meters, per the company’s press release. Results from two of these holes—EZ-24-009 and EZ-24-010—were recently released, delivering highly encouraging outcomes.

Here are the summaries of the results for each drill:

Hole EZ-24-009

• Intersected 308.2 meters of polymetallic mineralization at 0.30% NiEq (nickel equivalent), including a 67.3-meter higher-grade core grading 0.39% NiEq.
• Discovered a 5.3-meter zone of coarse-grained magmatic sulfides grading 0.63% NiEq, with a peak interval of 0.9 meters at 0.95% NiEq.
• Extended the high-grade core zone by 600 meters to the southeast, increasing its total strike length to 2 kilometers.
• Provided a new exploration target with sulfide mineralization near a gabbroic dike.

Hole EZ-24-010

• Intersected 320.8 meters of polymetallic mineralization at 0.31% NiEq, including a 72.5-meter higher-grade core grading 0.39% NiEq.
• Confirmed mineralization extends further southeast, showing similar grades and thickness as EZ-24-009.
• Highlighted consistent mineralization, enhancing the deposit’s bulk-tonnage potential.
• Detected a downhole electromagnetic anomaly below the hole, warranting further investigation.

These results extended the strike length of the high-grade core zone to around 2 kilometers, significantly beyond the limits of the current Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE). This discovery is expected to drive a substantial increase in the AEMC’s indicated resource.

• READ MORE: Alaska Energy Metals Corporation Unlocks Vast Nickel and Critical Mineral Potential at Canwell Property, Nikolai Project, Alaska

A New Target Emerges: Coarse-Grained Sulfides

The most exciting discovery from this campaign is the identification of coarse-grained magmatic sulfides in EZ-24-009. Located near a gabbroic dike, these sulfides suggest a potential remobilized or coarser mineralization component within the Eureka Zone.

Alaska Energy Metals Chief Geologist Gabe Graf noted, 

“Drilling results continue to show the continuity and homogeneity of the Eureka Zone. With results from the remaining two drill holes anticipated soon, we can begin calculating an updated Mineral Resource Estimate. For the first time, coarse-grained magmatic sulfides were intersected and are being considered as an additional future exploration target.”

The sulfides could hold key insights into the geologic processes shaping the deposit, offering opportunities to uncover higher-grade zones and expand the resource base further.

The Expanding Promise of the Eureka Deposit

The results from EZ-24-009 and EZ-24-010 confirm the homogeneity of the Eureka Zone’s mineralization, highlighting its bulk-tonnage potential. The consistent grades and thick mineralized intersections reflect a robust system that is both predictable and scalable.

The remaining two drill holes (EZ-24-011 and EZ-24-012) are expected to provide additional data, potentially unlocking further extensions of the core zone. These findings will be incorporated into an updated MRE, which is already anticipated to reflect significant resource growth.

Strategic Importance of the Nikolai Project

The Nikolai Project is strategically located in Interior Alaska, benefiting from proximity to existing transportation and power infrastructure. This positions it as a highly accessible source of critical minerals, reducing logistical challenges often faced by remote projects.

The Eureka Deposit is particularly valuable due to its rich polymetallic profile, containing:

• Nickel, cobalt, chromium, platinum, and palladium: Designated critical minerals essential for clean energy technologies and electric vehicle batteries.
• Copper: A critical material for renewable energy systems and electrification.
• Iron and gold: Additional contributors to the deposit’s economic viability.

Remarkably, four of these materials are classified as Defense Production Act Title III materials, emphasizing their importance to U.S. national security.

• READ MORE: The Nickel Market is Changing Big Time: Is a Supply-Demand Shift Underway?

Sustainable Mining Meets Strategic Importance: AEMC’s Vision for North America

AEMC prioritizes sustainability and adheres to stringent environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices. This commitment is reflected in its exploration and resource development processes, which focus on minimizing environmental impact while delivering value to stakeholders.

The company’s quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) protocols ensure the integrity of its data. Drill core samples are carefully processed and analyzed at SGS Laboratories, with rigorous oversight to prevent contamination and ensure accuracy.

For its next steps, AEMC’s immediate focus includes finalizing assays for the remaining drill holes and updating the MRE to reflect the expanded strike length and newly discovered sulfide mineralization. Additionally, the coarse-grained sulfides will undergo detailed evaluation as a priority exploration target.

These efforts align with AEMC’s strategy to advance the Nikolai Project as a major domestic source of strategic energy-related metals for North America.

All in all, Alaska Energy Metals Corporation is rapidly advancing its flagship project, demonstrating a combination of resource expansion, innovative discoveries, and sustainable practices. The extension of the higher-grade core zone and the identification of coarse-grained sulfides mark significant milestones for AEMC. It further strengthens the company’s position as a key player in the critical minerals space.

• MUST READ: Unlocking Alaska’s Nickel to Drive America’s Clean Energy Revolutio

 

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