Fortescue's 133MW Nullagine Wind Project now under construction

Construction is now underway on the Nullagine Wind Project in Western Australia, which is part of Fortescue’s plan to reach its Real Zero target. 

This project is Fortescue’s first operational wind development, establishing the foundation of a broader portfolio of wind capacity to be rolled out this decade. 

The 133MW wind farm will have 17 turbines installed, incorporating Nabrawind’s self-erecting tower technology. Envision Energy will be supplying the wind turbines that are designed for low-wind environments and engineered to withstand extreme weather such as cyclones. 

Envision Energy will subcontract Nabrawind – which was recently acquired by Fortescue – to integrate the Nabralift self-erecting tower system, delivering a hub height of 188 metres. This sets a global benchmark for onshore wind and unlocking significantly higher energy yield. 

The Nullagine Wind Project builds on the strong momentum of Fortescue’s Pilbara renewable energy program alongside the Cloudbreak Solar Farm that’s progressing towards completion with more than 300,000 solar panels installed. 

Fortescue is planning to deploy 2-3GW of renewable energy generation and battery storage by 2030, including a portfolio of wind and solar projects across the Pilbara region – subject to land access and regulatory approvals. 

The company will announce further details on future projects as they reach Final Investment Decision. 

“Delivering Real Zero requires replacing diesel and gas with reliable, industrial-scale renewable energy. 

“Wind – alongside solar and batteries – provides the dependable, low-cost power we need to electrify our haul trucks, drills, processing plants and rail across the Pilbara. 

“The Nullagine Wind Project will feed directly into Pilbara Energy Connect, strengthening supply by balancing daytime solar with strong night-time and seasonal wind generation. 

“With Cloudbreak solar well advanced and large-scale batteries already delivered at North Star Junction, this is a baseload renewable energy system that’s being built, tested and delivered in real operating conditions,” Fortescue metals and Operations Chief Executive Officer Dino Otranto said. 

Source: Fortescue; Renew Economy; Australian Mining; Renewables Now