Large Scale Renewable Energy Hub Scrapped In Australia

• Andrew Forrest led FMGL has decided to not go ahead with its planned Uaroo Renewable Energy Hub in Pilbara 
• The EPA says it received a request from Pilbara Energy to terminate its assessment of the project 
• The project was proposed to power the company's local iron ore mining operations 

Fortescue Metals Group Limited (FMGL) has apparently decided not to go ahead with its proposed multi-GW Uaroo Renewable Energy Hub in Western Australia. The 5.4 GW project was to host solar, wind and battery storage capacity to power the company's local iron ore mining operations in Pilbara.  

According to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) in Western Australia, the agency has terminated the assessment of the project at the request of Pilbara Energy (Generation) Pty, the company set up to implement the project. No specific reason has been mentioned for the same.  

The project was proposed to host up to 340 wind turbines and a solar farm on the Uaroo and Emu Creek Pastoral Stations (see 5.4 GW RE Hub Proposed In Australia). 

In October 2023, FMGL had said it plans to develop over 1 GW of solar PV and wind energy each along with around 4 GWh storage capacity in Pilbara to decarbonize its local operations as it targets achieving real zero by 2030. 

Fortescue is invested in several other large-scale green energy projects within and outside of Australia, mostly with the purpose of generating green hydrogen. In Queensland, for instance, it plans to establish the North Queensland Super Hub with over 10 GW wind and solar power capacity for green hydrogen (see Queensland Announces 10 GW Renewables Super Hub). 

FMGL was founded by Andrew Forrest who was till recently at loggerheads with Mike Cannon-Brookes of Grok Ventures for the world's largest planned solar and storage project of Sun Cable as both the billionaires had a difference of opinion regarding the project's funding proposals and future direction. Cannon-Brookes won the duel to become the owner of the project (see Mike Cannon-Brookes Takes Over AAPowerLink Project).