The partnership between ACEN and the YAC will focus on renewable projects to be built in Australia’s Pilbara region. Credit: AustralianCamera via Shutterstock.

Filipino energy conglomerate ACEN International has announced a partnership with the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation (YAC), representing one of the largest indigenous-led renewable energy initiatives to build up to 3GW worth of renewable projects in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.

ACEN initially agreed to partner with the Yindjibarndi people’s chosen representative body, YAC, in June 2022, forming the Yindjibarndi Energy Corporation (YEC). The companies have now committed to investing A$1bn ($682m).

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The YEC aims to produce an initial 0.75GW of renewable energy combined across solar, wind and battery storage projects within the next few years. Following this, a further 2–3GW of renewable energy and storage projects will be targeted in subsequent stages.

ACEN International CEO Patrice Clausse revealed that the company is already in “promising dialogues” with potential clients that wish to purchase renewable energy from YEC.

The projects will be centred on the 13,000km² Yindjibarndi Ngurra, land exclusively titled to the indigenous group. All proposed projects will require Yindjibarndi’s approval as part of the agreement. 

“We know that our country is well located for renewable energy development,” said YAC CEO Michael Woodley. “So we made the decision early to lead. We established a small team and set out to find a partner with the right capabilities and values, which led us to ACEN,” he added further.

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Furthermore, the indigenous people will have as much as 50% equity in all projects. Yindjibarndi-owned businesses will be preferred for all contracts, along with  training and employment opportunities made available to the community.

“The agreement with ACEN means that the Yindjibarndi people can actively participate in Australia’s renewable energy transition in a significant way that provides long-term economic benefits to our community whilst also ensuring that we can protect and preserve all areas within Yindjibarndi Ngurra which are of cultural, spiritual, and environmental significance to us,” Woodley continued.

ACEN operates several renewable projects across Australia, including the New England Solar project in New South Wales. The first of the project’s two stages opened in March 2023 with 400MW of capacity. A subsequent second phase will increase the total generative capacity of the project to 720MW.