Clean energy deal firms up a sustainable and prosperous future for Queensland

Half of the electricity requirements for BHP’s Queensland mines will be met by reliable clean energy, thanks to an unrivalled deal with CleanCo Queensland. 

Commencing 1 January 2021, the five-year agreement is industry-leading in its unique combination of solar and wind projects with support from CleanCo’s low-emission generation portfolio.

CleanCo CEO Dr Maia Schweizer said CleanCo offers tailored and holistic solutions to meet its customers’ needs. 

“We offer competitively-priced, renewable-backed energy products firmed by dispatchable and low-emission generation assets like the Wivenhoe Pumped Hydro Power Station, which uses solar-generated power to pump water during the day and provides reliable energy at peak times, and the highly efficient Swanbank E Gas-fired Power Station,” Dr Schweizer said.

“Our ambition is to harness Queensland’s abundant wind, solar and hydro resources to offer reliable, globally-competitive clean energy services to customers, catalysing a sustainable and prosperous future for all of Queensland’s regions and people.

“This agreement will bolster current and future Queensland renewable projects including supporting 800 new regional jobs at the Karara and MacIntyre Wind Farms and the Western Downs Green Power Hub.  

“We look forward to welcoming many more clean energy partnerships to power manufacturing, minerals processing and other Queensland industries,” she said.

BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) Asset President James Palmer said the agreement will help BHP’s Queensland operations to further increase their sustainability through reducing the emissions we generate from electricity use by half. 

“The agreement will also directly contribute towards Queensland’s energy transition”, Mr Palmer said.

Under the agreement between CleanCo and BHP, generation from the Western Downs Green Power Hub and the Karara Wind Farm will be combined with CleanCo’s low-emission dispatchable generation portfolio to provide competitive price certainty, underpinned by renewable and low-emission energy sources.

About BHP

BHP is a world-leading resources company. We extract and process minerals, oil and gas, with more than 72,000 employees and contractors, primarily in Australia and the Americas. Our products are sold worldwide, with sales and marketing led through Singapore and Houston, United States.