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BHP Powers Queensland Copper with Third Major Renewable Energy Deal
Under a baseload agreement, 100 MW of renewable power will supply BHP's key South Australian copper assets, including Olympic Dam, Carrapateena, and Prominent Hill.
www.bhp.com
BHP has entered into its third and largest renewable electricity supply arrangement for Copper SA, taking another step forward in its operational decarbonisation and unlocking significant new investment in renewable generation in the state.
Under this baseload electricity arrangement, 100 megawatts (MW) of renewable electricity will be supplied to power BHP’s Copper SA province, including the Olympic Dam mine, smelter and refinery as well as the Carrapateena and Prominent Hill operations.
It will be supported by output from the first 300 MW of Neoen’s Goyder North Wind Farm, firmed by their new Goyder Battery with a minimum capacity of 200 MW / 800 MWh, and Neoen’s in-house energy management expertise. Both assets are currently under development near Burra in South Australia’s mid-north, with BHP as the primary customer.
Neoen expects these two assets to create up to 550 construction jobs and 20 permanent jobs, supporting regional employment while contributing to the state’s energy transition.
This marks BHP’s third renewable electricity supply arrangement in South Australia in the past four years and its second renewable electricity supply arrangement with Neoen.
This commitment aligns with BHP’s medium-term target to reduce operational greenhouse gas emissions (Scopes 1 and 2 emissions from its operated assets) by at least 30% by FY2030 from an adjusted FY2020 baseline and contributes to our long-term goal to achieve net zero operational greenhouse gas emissions by CY2050.
Combined with the existing Neoen renewable electricity supply arrangement that successfully commenced in July 2025, this new electricity supply arrangement is expected to meet approximately 70% of Copper SA’s electricity needs from renewable electricity in FY2030, based on current forecast demand. This new arrangement is part of BHP’s ongoing efforts to induce investment in renewable electricity supply that has seen it support five major projects in South Australia:
- Neoen’s Goyder North Wind Farm and Goyder Battery
- Neoen’s Goyder South Stage 1 Wind Farm and Blyth Battery
- Iberdrola’s Port Augusta Renewable Energy Park
