Australian iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group has announced the start of construction of the 440 MW Solomon Airport solar farm in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
Once completed, the project will become the largest solar facility in Western Australia and will represent a key component of Fortescue’s renewable energy strategy. The company plans to install approximately 671,000 solar panels at the site, with construction scheduled for completion in 2028.
Renewable energy central to “Real Zero” strategy
The Solomon Airport solar farm is expected to provide around one-third of the solar generation capacity required for Fortescue to achieve its “Real Zero” emissions target.
Fortescue CEO Dino Otranto stated that the company is increasingly utilizing Pilbara’s abundant solar and wind resources to power its mining operations with renewable energy.
Additional solar projects underway
The development follows progress on the 190 MW Cloudbreak solar farm, which is currently around two-thirds complete.
Fortescue is also preparing to begin construction later this year on the 644 MW Turner River solar project. Once operational, the Solomon Airport, Cloudbreak and Turner River solar farms, together with the existing 100 MW North Star Junction solar facility, will provide approximately 1.3 GW of solar capacity.
Integrated renewable energy system
In parallel, construction is progressing on the 133 MW Nullagine Wind Farm, further expanding Fortescue’s renewable energy portfolio.
These projects are being integrated through the Pilbara Energy Connect program. Under this initiative, Fortescue has already constructed more than 480 kilometers of high-voltage transmission lines across the Pilbara region. Once the network is fully completed, the transmission system will extend to more than 620 kilometers, directly connecting renewable power generation with Fortescue’s mining operations and rail infrastructure.
