APA Fortescue Solar Gas Hybrid Project
- $24.2m Funded by ARENA
- $208.3m Total project cost
Summary
The APA Fortescue Solar Gas Hybrid Project will be developed, owned and operated by APA. The facility consists of 60 MW AC solar PV integrated with a 35 MW battery storage facility at the Newman gas-fired power station in the Pilbara region of WA.
Alinta completed the construction of the project, achieving practical completion in November 2021.
On 1 November 2023, APA Group Limited (APA) acquired Alinta’s Pilbara Energy Operations which included power generation and transmission assets in Port Hedland, Newman and included the Chichester Solar Gas Hybrid project.
Need
The APA Fortescue Solar Gas Hybrid Project recognises that remote mine sites in the Pilbara are heavily reliant on diesel or gas generation for their energy needs.
To unlock further investment in renewable energy in the sector, more projects are needed to demonstrate how renewable energy solutions can provide secure and reliable electricity for major mining operations and help reduce emissions.
The APA Fortescue Solar Gas Hybrid Project will aim to demonstrate that the mining operations can be reliably powered by 100 per cent renewable energy at certain times.
This project consists of:
Project reports- ARENA media release 18/10/2019
- Alinta – Alinta Fortescue Solar Gas Hybrid Project – Annual Performance Report
- Alinta – Alinta Fortescue Solar Gas Hybrid Project – Final Project Report
- Alinta Fortescue Design and Construction Lessons Learnt
- Alinta Fortescue Solar Gas Hybrid Project Lessons Learnt Commissioning and Testing Phase
- Fortescue APA Solar Gas Hybrid Project Annual Performance Report 2023
- Report: Lessons Learnt: Inception to Financial Close
Learn more
Report: Alinta Fortescue Solar Gas Hybrid Project Lessons Learnt Commissioning and Testing Phase
This report describes the challenges, issues and lessons learnt for the project during the commissioning and testing phase.
Report: Lessons Learnt: Inception to Financial Close
This report explores the challenges, issues and lessons learnt from inception to financial close of the project.
Media Release: Pilbara Breaks New Ground with Renewable Energy
Western Australia’s Pilbara region is set to be home to the first major iron ore mining operation in Australia to be run entirely off renewable energy during the day.
Report: Alinta Foretescue Design and Construction Lessons Learnt
This Report describes the challenges, issues and lessons learnt for the Project from financial close through to the completion of construction.
Action
Alinta will develop a hybrid renewable energy solution to power a number of sites included in the Chichester mining hub.
A 60 MW solar PV facility and approximately 60 kilometres of new transmission lines will be constructed to link two of Fortescue Metal Groups’ (FMG) sites – Christmas Creek and Cloudbreak – to the new solar farm.
The transmission lines will also connect the FMG mines to Alinta’s existing 145 MW gas-fired Newman Power Station and its 35 MW / 11 MWh battery storage system.
Fortescue is to be the main off-taker of the project, which will help to reduce the use of diesel by around 100 million litres annually. This will allow up to 100 per cent of daytime energy requirements for the Chichester mining hub to be powered by renewable energy, with the remaining power requirements to be balanced with gas generation.
Outcome
The project aims to demonstrate the effectiveness (both technically and commercially) of a large-scale hybrid power supply solution combining solar, gas and storage, integrated in an off-grid network.
It will also show how interconnection of loads and different generation and storage – including solar, battery storage and gas – can provide secure and reliable electricity.
The project will share knowledge with other miners, generators and networks on the technical challenges relating to using multiple generation technologies and high penetration of renewables to provide reliable power supply to support mining and off-grid operations.
Additional impact
Around 200 jobs are expected to be created during construction with an estimated net public benefit of A$221 million, including diversification of generation capacity which increases security of supply in the Pilbara area.
Alinta has committed to Indigenous employment, procurement and spend targets as part of the project.
