BHP Delays 500MW Pilbara Renewables Project as Climate Spending Slips to 2031
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 25
BHP Delays 500MW Pilbara Renewables Project as Climate Spending Slips to 2031
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 25
Leaked internal files show BHP has halted or delayed key emissions-cutting projects in Western Australia, with major Pilbara decarbonisation investments pushed into the 2030s and some options extending truck and rail electrification to 2035 or 2040.
A May 2025 memo said BHP no longer viewed its current decarbonisation plan as achievable, citing a “low probability of success” and slow progress in battery-electric mining trucks, trains and bulldozers.
The shelved or delayed projects include a board-approved 50MW solar farm and 20MW battery at Jimblebar, a nearly 500MW solar-wind-battery system now unfunded until at least 2031, and an iron ore plant that could have cut 1.7 million tonnes of emissions a year.
BHP has also kept buying diesel haul trucks, including more than $500 million for Jimblebar, even as it says emissions are down 36% from 2020 levels and it remains committed to a 30% cut by 2030 and net zero by 2050.
Climate advocates say the retreat risks Australia’s 43% emissions-cut target for 2030, while BHP and industry groups argue Pilbara-scale electrified haulage technology is not yet ready for full deployment.
Is BHP's climate U-turn a strategic blunder risking Australia's future in the green resource economy?
How can the world’s largest miner justify buying new diesel trucks while shelving its own solar farms?
BHP Retreats from Pilbara Decarbonisation: Major Delays Threaten Australia’s Climate Goals
Overview
BHP has announced a major shift in its decarbonisation strategy for its Western Australian iron ore operations, following an internal review that found its existing plan was no longer achievable due to slow technological progress by truck manufacturers. As a result, BHP is delaying or potentially cancelling key projects, including the electrification of its truck and rail fleets, and reducing the urgency to source renewable energy by 2030. This move means BHP will continue to rely on more carbon-intensive methods, taking advantage of Australia’s Safeguard Mechanism, which allows the company to postpone climate action without significant financial impact.