Fortescue has commenced construction of the Nullagine Wind Project in the Pilbara as a major step towards its Real Zero target.

The company said the project is its first operational wind development and will underpin a wider rollout of wind capacity this decade.

It added that construction follows strong progress at the Cloudbreak solar farm, where more than 300,000 panels are now installed.

The 133MW project will install 17 turbines incorporating Nabrawind’s self-erecting tower technology acquired recently by Fortescue.

Supplied by Envision Energy, the turbines are designed for low-wind conditions and to withstand extreme weather, including cyclones.

Envision will subcontract Nabrawind to integrate the Nabralift tower system to deliver a 188-metre hub height that aims to set a new global benchmark for onshore wind and boost energy yield.

A turbine of this design has been installed as a prototype at an Envision testing site in China and will be relocated to the Pilbara in June 2026.

“Delivering Real Zero requires replacing diesel and gas with reliable, industrial-scale renewable energy,” said Dino Otranto, Fortescue metals and operations chief executive officer.

“Wind – alongside solar and batteries – provides the dependable, low-cost power we need to electrify our haul trucks, drills, processing plants and rail across the Pilbara,” Otranto added.

“The Nullagine Wind Project will feed directly into Pilbara Energy Connect, strengthening supply by balancing daytime solar with strong night-time and seasonal wind generation,” he stated.

By 2030, Fortescue plans to deploy 2-3GW of renewable energy and battery storage across the Pilbara, subject to land access and approvals.

More information:https://renews.biz/107476/fortescue-starts-nullagine-wind-construction/