The initiative will replace power currently generated from diesel and gas. It includes a 27.4-megaWatt (MW) solar farm at Mt Keith, and a 10.7-MW solar farm and 10.1-MW battery at Leinster, which is integrated into TransAlta’s Northern Goldfields remote power grid. Construction on the facility began in 2022.

BHP Australia President Geraldine Slattery said the facility was a significant step in delivering BHP’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, and helps it achieve its goal of being one of the most sustainable nickel providers in the world. “Renewables are increasingly powering BHP operations around the globe and this facility – the first we have built on one of our sites – is another step forward in our plans to reduce our operational greenhouse gas emissions by at least 30 per cent by FY30, from FY20 levels,” Slattery said. “Nickel is in high demand for batteries and electric vehicles, and this progress is part of our commitment to delivering more sustainable, lower carbon product to our customers.”

BHP Nickel West Asset President Jessica Farrell said the initiative was one of many ways Nickel West was reducing its operational emissions. It was also considering wind farms in the northern and southern Goldfields. “It’s fantastic to see the Northern Goldfields Solar and Battery Storage Facility switched on. It’s on the back of a team of dedicated engineers, technicians and many others bringing new ideas to the table to support the development and integration of reliable and affordable renewable power to our business,” she said.

The system should help Nickel West reduce Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions at its northern operations by 12%. This will result in an estimated reduction of 54,000 mt of CO2-e per year, equivalent of removing 23,000 internal combustion engine cars from the road each year.”

“This facility represents a first for both companies – it’s BHP’s first on-site, largescale renewable project globally, and it’s TransAlta’s first renewable energy facility in Australia,” TransAlta President and CEO John Kousinioris said. “It’s also the first time we have combined solar and battery storage to offer a hybrid solution. This unique project enabled us to apply the extensive capability and technical knowledge we have to the development of a large-scale facility in a remote part of Western Australia.”