ACEN Australia has energized the 520-megawatt Stubbo Solar project, the first large-scale solar facility to achieve full commercial operation under New South Wales’ Long-Term Energy Service Agreement–setting a new benchmark for investment and policy alignment in Australia’s clean energy rollout.

Developed ahead of the formal establishment of the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone, the 520-megawatt-dc (400-megawatt-ac) project is one of the largest solar developments in the country. The total investment of such an initiative reached AUD 760 million.

The milestone was celebrated in an onsite ceremony attended by New South Wales Minister for Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Heritage Penny Sharpe, Ayala Corporation President and CEO and ACEN Chairman Cezar “Bong” Consing, ACEN President and CEO Eric Francia, and ACEN Australia Executive Chairman Jose Maria Zabaleta.

“Stubbo Solar reinforces ACEN’s long-term commitment to Australia’s clean energy future. This milestone highlights how clear policy and strong partnerships can unlock large-scale renewable investments. It also reflects the dedication of our ACEN Australia team and partners whose collaboration and hard work turned this project into a powerful example of what’s possible in the energy transition,” said Zabaleta.

ACEN Australia Managing Director David Pollington stated that the project began several years ago, just before current renewable energy-policies were established. “What started as a single-site concept has become one of the most significant renewable energy investments in regional New South Wales, built through partnership, persistence, and strategic adaptation,” Pollington said.

He went on to note that shifting market dynamics, rising costs, and ever-changing delivery conditions reinforce the importance of close coordination between government and private entities to maintain effective and investment-ready policy settings.

PCL Construction served as ACEN Australia’s engineering, procurement, and construction contractor. Meanwhile Lumea, the commercial arm of Transgrid, partnered with the company to deliver the project’s connection to the New South Wales electricity network.

Stubbo Solar includes provisions for a 200-megawatt / 800-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system to provide firming capacity as the grid transitions to cleaner sources. It also became the first large-scale solar project certified for full circularity under the Circular PV Alliance framework, which ensures that all 930,000 solar panels will be reused or recycled at end of usability.

During construction, ACEN Australia invested nearly AUD 85 million into the state’s economy, including AUD60 million in contracts and procurement for businesses within the Mid-Western Regional Council and nearby areas. The project also contributed AUD 3.2 million to First Nations businesses and more than AUD 400,000 to community programs under its Social Investment Program.

Located about 10 kilometers north of Gulgong in central-west New South Wales, Stubbo Solar has the capability to generate enough electricity to power 185,000 Australian households.

ACEN Australia now has about one gigawatt of operating capacity and a pipeline of more than 10 gigawatts of solar, wind, battery, and pumped-hydro projects under development.

With ACEN expanding its renewable footprint abroad, how can Philippine policies support similar large-scale clean energy projects at home?

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