Fortescue has delivered its first-ever large-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) to its North Star Junction (NSJ) complex in the Pilbara, a major step forward in the miner’s push to decarbonise its iron ore operations in the region.
The installation is the first in a planned 4-5 GWh rollout of large-scale storage systems Fortescue will need to decarbonise its energy supply in the coming years. It will be powered by BYD’s advanced Blade Battery technology.
The mining company said the NSJ BESS will store renewable energy generated during the day and supply green power to Fortescue’s Pilbara Energy Connect (PEC) network at night. The installation will comprise 48 energy storage containers, providing a total capacity of 250 MWh and capable of delivering up to 50 MW of power for five hours.
Fortescue Metals and Operations Chief Executive Officer Dino Otranto said the BESS has been designed to provide critical grid stability and would be significant toward its mission to replace fossil-fueled generation with renewable energy.
“This is a big moment for Fortescue – we’re fundamentally changing the way we power our mines. These systems let us store solar power and use it when we need it most, helping us cut diesel and gas and run our sites on renewable energy,” he said.
BYD’s Blade Batteries are engineered for high safety, reliability and performance, featuring liquid cooling systems designed to operate efficiently in Pilbara temperatures and conditions. Yin Xueqin, general manager of BYD Energy Storage and New Battery Application, noted that Fortescue is leading one of the most ambitious mining decarbonisation programs in the world and the company is proud to support the transformation.
“The NSJ BESS is an important milestone for our partnership, and we will continue working closely with Fortescue to deliver the large-scale storage needed to power a green Pilbara,” she said.
Fortescue’s next BESS installation will be at Eliwana, with a 120-MWh system scheduled for delivery and installation in early 2026.
The company is also progressing construction of its 190-MW Cloudbreak Solar Farm, which is now almost halfway complete, and has built more than 460 kilometres of transmission lines as part of the PEC project.
Source: Fortescue