Cargill is using solar energy to power its soybean crushing plant in Australia.
2026/02/24
Newcastle ( Tuesday, February 3, 2026 Cargill has launched its first large-scale renewable energy project in Australia, installing a 2.58-megawatt solar power system at its Newcastle mill in Australia. This solar power facility—built and fully owned by Cargill—is the only renewable energy asset in Australia operated by a bulk materials handling and oilseed processing company.
This solar power generation system is expected to generate over per year. 4,200 megawatt-hours of renewable electricity can reduce greenhouse gas emissions—equivalent to approximately 2,700 tons of carbon dioxide—each year (Scope 2). This reduction is roughly equivalent to the emissions from New South Wales. The electricity consumption of 700 households in New South Wales.
“This initiative aims to take concrete, actionable steps toward sustainable development and innovation,” said Nick Ebrill, Senior Director of Regional Operations for Southeast Asia and Australia. “By directly integrating renewable energy into our manufacturing infrastructure, we can reduce emissions, enhance resilience, and create lasting value.”
This project supports Cargill’s goal of reducing its Scope 1 and Scope 2 absolute emissions by 25% by 2035. It also enhances supply chain resilience by stabilizing energy costs and improving operational reliability in the face of energy market volatility.
The Newcastle oilseed crushing plant produces rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, and animal feed. Cargill owns the solar power system and holds all the renewable energy certificates generated on-site.
This renewable energy project is in response to Cargill’s... As a complement to the A$100 million investment plan announced in 2023, this initiative aims to upgrade and expand its oilseed processing facilities located in Newcastle, Narrabri, and Footscray, thereby meeting Australia’s growing demand for food, feed, and renewable fuels.
