Australia-based coking coal miner BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA), a joint venture between Australian miner BHP Billiton and Japan-based Mitsubishi, has announced that it has become the first BHP operation in Australia to have 100 percent of its forecast electricity demand matched through renewable power purchase agreements (PPAs).
Following its latest PPA with Queensland's publicly owned energy generator and retailer CleanCo, BMA's forecast electricity demand is now backed by renewable energy sources including wind, solar and pumped hydro.
According to BHP, the milestone represents further progress in BMA's operational decarbonization efforts and supports the group's target to reduce operational greenhouse gas emissions, comprising Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions from its operated assets, by at least 30 percent by the financial year 2029-30 compared to financial year 2019-20 levels. BHP's longer-term goal is to achieve net zero operational greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
CleanCo partnership supports renewable energy projects in Queensland
The company stated that its partnership with CleanCo is also supporting the development of new renewable energy projects and regional economic activity in Queensland. Renewable projects underpinning the latest PPA have generated employment during construction and are expected to support ongoing jobs in the region.
BMA Asset President Adam Lancey stated that the development represents a significant step in the company's operational decarbonization journey, while highlighting the role of partnerships in delivering environmental and regional benefits.
Among the renewable projects associated with the partnership is the MacIntyre wind farm, located southwest of Warwick in Queensland, which BHP cited as an example of the renewable energy infrastructure supported through its collaboration with CleanCo.
