ACEN Australia Pty. Ltd. has begun full commercial operations of its A$760-million (P28.9 billion) Stubbo Solar project in New South (NS) Wales, marking a major step in the state’s shift toward renewable energy.
The 400-megawatt (MW) solar farm — one of Australia’s biggest — spans 1,250 hectares in the Central West region and can generate enough clean power for 185,000 households, ACEN said in a statement on Tuesday.
The facility is also designed to accommodate a future 200-MW/800-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system, which will let it dispatch power during peak demand and support grid stability.
“As the market evolves, costs are rising, delivery conditions are changing rapidly and market dynamics are shifting,” ACEN Australia Managing Director David Pollington said. “These pressures are real, and they reinforce the importance of partnership between government and industry to ensure policy settings remain responsive, effective and investment-ready.”
PCL Constructors, Inc. served as the project’s engineering, procurement and construction contractor, while Lumea Pty. Ltd., the commercial arm of Transgrid, partnered with ACEN on grid connection facilities.
During construction, the company injected A$85 million into the New South Wales economy, including contracts and jobs for local businesses in the Mid-Western Regional Council area, it said.
It also invested A$3.2 million with First Nations enterprises and A$400,000 in community development through its social investment program.
Stubbo Solar secured a 20-year energy service agreement in 2023 through New South Wales’ first renewable energy and storage auction.
ACEN Executive Chairman Jose Maria Zabaleta said the company aims to develop more than 2 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy projects in Australia within three years.
“This positions ACEN to help achieve Australia’s energy transition objectives and reflects our long-term goals and commitments,” he said.
ACEN Australia is a unit of ACEN Corp., the Ayala-led listed energy platform that holds a portfolio of 7 GW of attributable renewable capacity across the Philippines, Australia, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Laos and the US.
ACEN shares rose 0.86% to close at P2.35 apiece. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera
