ACEN firms up solar presence in Australia with 75-MW project

MANILA, Philippines — Ayala-led ACEN Corp. has reached financial close for its planned large-scale solar farm in Australia, paving the way for construction and reinforcing its growing footprint Down Under.

ACEN, through Yindjibarndi Energy Corp. (YEC), is set to start the development of the Jinbi Solar Project in the Pilbara region in Western Australia after securing key funding, contractual deals and government approvals.

Financial details were not immediately made available.

The project will deliver 75 megawatts-alternating current (MWac) for Stage 1 and marks the first YEC venture to achieve financial close since the company was established three years ago.

Jinbi also has the potential to expand to 150 MWac, with the possible integration of battery energy storage systems, subject to regulatory approvals and future development plans.

YEC, a joint venture with Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corp., is one of the largest Indigenous-led renewable energy initiatives in Australia.

Aside from securing funding, YEC has also entered into a 30-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with British-Australian mining group Rio Tinto, ensuring long-term offtake for the project’s electricity output.

With these key milestones in place, YEC has authorized its engineering, procurement and construction contractor to proceed with the next phase of works. Early site works are already underway.

“Jinbi demonstrates what is possible when traditional owner leadership, long term vision and disciplined project development come together,” ACEN group chief investment officer Patrice Clausse said.

“ACEN is proud to partner with Yindjibarndi on a project that meets rigorous commercial standards while setting a strong benchmark for responsible and respectful renewable energy development in Australia,” Clausse added.

In Australia, ACEN has over one gigawatt of projects in construction and operation, with over 13-GW capacity in the development pipeline.