Fortescue has continued work towards its Real Zero decarbonisation strategy with the commencement of construction on a 690-megawatt solar farm at Turner River in the Pilbara and a 650-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system at Cloudbreak, marking a major expansion of its renewable energy build-out.
These projects form part of Fortescue’s Pilbara Green Grid, an integrated renewable energy ecosystem designed to power its Pilbara operations.
Once complete, and combined with the Solomon Airport, Cloudbreak and North Star Junction solar farms, Fortescue said it will have delivered all solar generation required to achieve Real Zero across its terrestrial iron ore operations, with total renewable capacity exceeding 1.4-gigawatts, enough to power around half a million Australian homes.
Turner River is expected to be completed in 2028, with over one million solar panels to be installed, while the Cloudbreak battery energy storage system is expected in the 2026-27 financial year, delivering 74-megawatts of power for approximately eight hours through 124 battery units integrated into the Cloudbreak solar farm.
Fortescue has also completed commissioning of battery energy storage systems at Eliwana and North Star Junction, while continuing to electrify its mobile mining fleet with electric excavators, drills, and a first battery electric haul truck expected before year end.
It is also progressing a 133-megawatt Nullagine wind farm and expanding high-voltage transmission infrastructure, which already spans more than 480 kilometres and is expected to exceed 620km once complete, connecting renewable assets to mines, rail and port operations.
“While others are still debating whether decarbonisation is possible, Fortescue is getting on with building what’s needed to do it,” Fortescue metals and operations chief executive officer Dino Otranto said in a statement.
“The technology is here. The economics are improving every year. And anyone watching global fuel markets can see exactly why electrification and renewable power matter more than ever.”
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