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| Year | Emissions | Baseline | Gap | ACCUs | SMCs | Compliance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24–25 | 1.35 Mt | 1.42 Mt | -70 kt | — | — | Under baseline |
Pinjarra Alumina Refinery is a aluminium & non-ferrous metals facility operated by Alcoa of Australia Limited in WA. Like all covered facilities, aluminium smelting and refining is one of Australia's most electricity-intensive industries. Under Australia's Safeguard Mechanism, Pinjarra Alumina Refinery must keep its annual emissions below a stepping-down baseline — or purchase carbon credits to cover any overage.
In 2023–24, Pinjarra Alumina Refinery came in under its baseline — reporting emissions of 1.35 Mt against an obligation of 1.42 Mt, a surplus of 70 kt. Facilities that come in under baseline can generate Safeguard Mechanism Credits (SMCs), which can be sold to facilities that need to cover an overage. Pinjarra Alumina Refinery generated 70,123 SMCs in 2023–24.
Across the aluminium & non-ferrous metals sector, 7 of 8 covered facilities reported emissions above their baseline in 2023–24. The table below compares Pinjarra Alumina Refinery with other aluminium & non-ferrous metals facilities covered by the Safeguard Mechanism.
| Facility | Operator | State | Emissions | vs Baseline | Compliance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queensland Alumina Limited Refinery | QUEENSLAND ALUMINA LIMITED | QLD | 3.09 Mt | +324 kt | ACCU buyer |
| Rio Tinto Yarwun | RTA Yarwun Pty Ltd | QLD | 2.11 Mt | +171 kt | ACCU buyer |
| Kwinana Alumina Refinery | Alcoa of Australia Limited | WA | 915 kt | +91 kt | ACCU + SMC |
| Portland Aluminium Smelter | Alcoa Portland Aluminium Proprietary Limited | VIC | 621 kt | +71 kt | ACCU buyer |
| Wagerup Alumina Refinery | Alcoa of Australia Limited | WA | 1.34 Mt | +64 kt | ACCU + SMC |
| Tomago Aluminium Smelter | TOMAGO ALUMINIUM COMPANY PTY LTD | NSW | 1.16 Mt | +57 kt | ACCU buyer |
| Gove Operations | RTA GOVE PTY LIMITED | NT | 134 kt | +19 kt | ACCU buyer |
| Nyrstar Port Pirie Facility | Nyrstar Port Pirie Pty Ltd | SA | 442 kt | 0 t | Under baseline |