The Multibillion-dollar Uaroo Renewable Energy Hub project is on the way as Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) filed the environmental documents with the West Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

The renewable energy hub is set to built near the coastal town of Onslaw and 170 km west of the Eliwana mine site. Plans for the energy hub are set to be released for public comment by the EPA.

The project aims to construct and operate a renewable energy hub comprising an enormous 3.33GW solar farm and a 2.04 GW wind farm spread across approximately 10,000 hectares. This also includes a battery with a storage capacity of 9.1GWh.

A 220kV transmission line would connect the Uaroo Hub main substation to a substation at the Eliwana mining operations.  FMG also stated that the Uaaro Renewable Energy hub is expected to provide renewable energy to power its mining operations in the Pilbara and is critical in achieving net zero emissions from its mining operations by 2030.

It is expected the Uaroo project will reduce the miner’s current annual carbon emissions of 2.2 million tons by at least 1.5 million tons by the end of this decade.

The company has previously considered alternative energy resources to power its mining operations, but believes that the Uaroo Renewable Energy Hub is a better option and hoped the project would inspire other companies to implement similar solutions.

According to FMG, renewable energy is the lowest-cost form of energy available, making its update a contributor to financial performance as well as climate health. The proposal will demonstrate the viability of zero-carbon technologies in fuelling commercial-scale operations and will encourage other companies to follow.

The project is scaled to provide a reliable power supply source to satisfy the operational needs of the miners, taking into consideration variability of wind speeds and the restriction of solar power generation to daylight hours.

Construction of the energy hub is expected to commence after it secures all the necessary approvals. The renewable energy generation and electricity transmission infrastructure will be constructed and commissioned in stages, with works anticipated to run for approximately seven years.

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Date of Publication: 10 February, 2022