Fortescue Metals Group has broken ground on a major new wind farm in the Pilbara, signalling a powerful start to 2026 for Western Australia's green energy sector. The move comes alongside a series of other project advancements across the state, highlighting accelerating investment in renewables.
Fortescue's Pilbara Power Play
The mining giant, with a market capitalisation of $70 billion, has commenced construction on its 133 megawatt Nullagine wind project. The development will feature 17 turbines supplied by Envision Energy. A key innovation is the use of self-erecting towers from Spanish firm Nabrawind, a business Fortescue acquired last year.
This project is the first step in Fortescue's ambitious plan to build 2 to 3 gigawatts of green energy capacity to power its iron ore operations by 2030. Chief Executive Dino Otranto stated the company is focused on 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," Mr Otranto said. The company is also nearing completion of a solar farm at its Cloudbreak mine site.
Statewide Surge in Renewable Projects
The activity is not confined to the Pilbara. A flurry of developments in WA's South West has marked the opening weeks of the year, offering positive signs for the state's energy transition.
Last week, the state's environmental regulator approved Synergy's colossal $4 billion Tathra wind farm proposal, which plans to combine 1.5 gigawatts of wind and solar power.
On Monday, plans for Neoen's Yathroo wind project, featuring 65 turbines with an October start date, were opened for public comment. Furthermore, three new proposals were lodged with federal regulators:
- Alinta Energy's Marri wind farm
- Synergy's Scott River wind development
- Tonic Group's Binningup Solar Facility
Collectively, the Yathroo, Marri, Scott River and Binningup projects would add approximately 1.2 gigawatts of new capacity to the South West Interconnected System.
Implications for WA's Energy Future
This wave of project milestones will be welcomed by the State Government, which faces growing scrutiny over its ambitious goal to shutter publicly-owned coal-fired power plants by 2030. The broad-based investment from both private companies like Fortescue and state-owned entities suggests building momentum towards that target.
In a separate development, Horizon Power has submitted a plan to overhaul Broome's electricity network with a hybrid solar, battery and gas solution, scheduled for construction in 2028.
The combined activity across mining and utility sectors underscores a significant shift, positioning renewable energy as the cornerstone for both industrial power and the state's main grid in the years ahead.
