Fortescue is accelerating what it claims will be the world’s first fully integrated industrial green energy grid, designed to eliminate fossil fuels from large-scale mining operations at city scale.
The ASX-listed miner said the off-grid system in the Pilbara will operate as a standalone, high-voltage renewable network, enabling continuous, around-the-clock industrial production powered entirely by green energy and removing dependence on diesel.
“As global energy supply chains become increasingly unstable and the massive risks of fossil fuel dependence are exposed, Fortescue is moving faster, proving industry can power itself with green energy, control its costs, and take back control of its largest risk – energy,” the company said.
Later that year, it aims to run its operations for 24-hour periods without fossil fuels, marking a significant step ahead of its previously announced Real Zero target of December 2030.
Full completion of the Pilbara green grid is targeted for the end of 2028. The system will include approximately 1.2GW of solar generation, more than 600MW of wind power and 4–5GWh of battery energy storage, delivering around 2GW of total generation capacity.
The company said the deployment is already underway within its approved decarbonisation budget and on an accelerated timetable, with infrastructure being rolled out through standard end-of-life replacement cycles to maintain capital discipline.
Fortescue said it expects to save $US100 million in fossil fuel costs by next year, while longer-term changes could reduce C1 unit costs by at least $US2–4 per wet metric tonne, highlighting the commercial case for decarbonisation.
The company also plans to replicate and commercialise the model globally, offering it via licensing or “energy as a service” arrangements. It said proprietary AI-driven optimisation systems and in-house technologies will support scalability, with early-stage discussions underway with potential international partners.