In Pictures: Rio Tinto studies giant hot-brick thermal battery to cut fossil fuel use at Queensland alumina refinery

Rio Tinto's Yarwun alumina refinery near Gladstone is at the centre of a study into hot-brick thermal storage.

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The proposed 360 MWh system would store heat in bricks to produce steam after sunset.

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Engineering and design work is under way with ARENA funding backing the project.

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The study-stage battery could supply about 5% of the refinery's steam needs.

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If built, the system could cut roughly 67,000 metric tons of CO2 annually.

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Rondo Energy's hot-brick technology aims to displace fossil fuels in industrial heat.

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The project highlights growing interest in thermal storage for heavy industry.

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The Yarwun site sits near Gladstone in central Queensland.

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Rio Tinto is assessing whether the technology can scale across its operations.

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