Fortescue says AI is playing an increasingly important role as it rolls out out its fleet of electric trucks and mining equipment, EV charging, big batteries and green energy to power its own iron ore operations and third party data centres too.
The mining and emerging green energy giant says it is now the biggest builder of solar farms in the country, with more than one gigawatt under construction at its Turner River and Solomon Airport projects, and it has rapidly increased the installation rate from 3,500 solar panels a day to more than 6,000.
It is also about to erect the first of its wind turbines, which will be the most powerful in the country at eight megawatts each, and the tallest too – at 188 metres thanks to the unique self-lifting turbine technology that was developed by Spain’s Nabrawind, which Fortescue now owns.
CEO Dino Otranto said in a market briefing accompanying the company’s full year results that the turbine technology will mean quicker and cheaper installations.
It expects to complete commissioning of the 132 megawatt (MW) Nullagine wind project next year, and plans a total of around 900 MW of new wind capacity, 1.5 GW of solar, and up to 5 GWh of battery storage as part of its goal to reach real zero emissions by 2030 to support its mining and emerging green iron technology.
