Fortescue (ASX:FMG) said construction has started on both its 690-megawatt Turner River solar farm and a 650 megawatt-hour battery energy storage system at the Cloudbreak solar farm, both located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, according to a Monday statement.
The Turner River construction marks the final solar installation needed to deliver the company's "Real Zero" decarbonization plan across its terrestrial iron ore operations, Fortescue said.
When combined, projects under the company's Pilbara Green Grid initiative will generate more than 1.4 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, which Fortescue said is sufficient to power around half a million Australian homes.
The construction of Turner River is expected to be completed in 2028, while the Cloudbreak battery energy storage system is scheduled for completion in fiscal year 2027.