Fortescue Expands Renewable Energy for Mining Operations

Fortescue has commenced construction of the 690MW Turner River solar farm in the Pilbara region of Western Australia together with a 650MWh battery energy storage system at Cloudbreak. The projects form part of the company’s Pilbara Green Grid initiative, an integrated renewable energy network designed to supply renewable electricity to its mining, rail and port operations.

Renewable Energy Infrastructure for Mining Decarbonisation
The Turner River solar farm represents the final solar generation project required to support Fortescue’s Real Zero decarbonisation strategy for its terrestrial iron ore operations. Once completed, the facility will operate alongside the Solomon Airport solar farm, the Cloudbreak solar farm and the North Star Junction solar farm.

Combined, the renewable energy assets will provide more than 1.4GW of generation capacity. According to Fortescue, this level of output would be sufficient to supply electricity to approximately half a million Australian homes.

The projects were developed to reduce dependence on fossil fuels across large-scale mining operations while supporting the increasing electricity demand associated with mine electrification.

Battery Storage Supports Stable Renewable Power
The Cloudbreak battery energy storage system will provide 74MW of power over approximately eight hours. The installation will consist of 124 battery units integrated directly into the existing Cloudbreak solar farm.

The battery system is intended to improve the stability and reliability of renewable power generation across Fortescue’s mining operations by enabling energy storage during periods of high solar generation and supplying electricity during peak demand or reduced generation periods.

Fortescue has also commissioned additional battery energy storage systems at Eliwana and North Star Junction as part of the broader renewable energy network in the Pilbara.

Construction of the Cloudbreak BESS is expected to be completed during fiscal year 2027, while the Turner River solar farm is scheduled for completion in 2028. More than one million solar panels are planned for installation at the Turner River site.

Electrification of Mining Equipment
In parallel with renewable energy development, Fortescue is accelerating the electrification of its mobile mining fleet. The company confirmed that 16 electric excavators and an electric drill are already operating at its iron ore sites.

According to Fortescue, approximately half of its excavator fleet is expected to be electric by the end of 2026.

The company is also preparing to introduce battery-electric haul trucks supported by high-capacity charging infrastructure. Fortescue’s first internally developed 6MW fast charger has entered commissioning and is designed to fully charge a haul truck in approximately 30 minutes.

Additional battery-electric mining equipment, including wheel loaders, dozers, graders and water carts developed by XCMG, is currently undergoing final testing before deployment to the Pilbara for operational trials.

Integrated Grid for Mining Operations
The Pilbara Green Grid combines solar farms, wind generation, battery systems and high-voltage transmission infrastructure into a single integrated renewable energy network.

Construction also continues on the 133MW Nullagine Wind Farm, which will diversify the company’s renewable energy mix beyond solar generation.

Fortescue has already constructed more than 480 kilometres of high-voltage transmission infrastructure across the Pilbara region. Once completed, the transmission network is expected to exceed 620 kilometres and connect renewable energy assets directly to mining, rail and port facilities.

Fortescue Metals and Operations CEO Dino Otranto stated that the company is proceeding with large-scale renewable infrastructure deployment as electrification technologies and renewable energy economics continue to improve.

Edited by Sucithra Mani, Induportals editor – adapted by AI.

www.fortescue.com