AUSTRALIA’S First Nations Yindjibarndi people have partnered with renewables firm ACEN to develop and operate renewable-energy (RE) projects in Western Australia.
The partnership is one of the largest Indigenous-led RE initiatives in Australia, with a focus on sustainable development and economic opportunities.
“What ACEN and the Yindjibarndi group are doing is fully aligned with the ‘Strategic Partnership’ between Australia and the Philippines,” said Ambassador HK Yu PSM, FCPA. “We are happy to collaborate and work together to ensure that the partnership is mutually beneficial and sustainable.”
Through the creation of the Yindjibarndi Energy Corporation (YEC), ACEN and the Yindjibarndi people will jointly develop wind, solar, and RE projects on Yindjibarndi Ngurra, which is an area of approximately 13,000 square kilometers within the people’s exclusive native land in Australia.
YEC’s initial goal is to generate 750 megawatts of combined wind, solar, and battery storage under construction within the next few years, which will represent an investment of more than P36 billion. The energy produced will serve domestic and export markets. Subsequent stages will target additional 2 gigawatts to 3 GW of combined wind, solar, and battery storage.
The leadership of YEC includes ACEN-appointed director and chairman Anton Rohner, and Yindjibarndi-appointed director Craig Ricato.
“This partnership between ACEN and the Yindjibarndi People was built on shared values. ACEN were genuine in their interactions with the Yindjibarndi—they were honest about their intentions and listened to what the traditional owners needed,” explained CEO Craig Ricato of YEC. “This made the Yindjibarndi comfortable around ACEN’s people, and put them in good standing to negotiate the terms of the partnership agreement.”
ACEN International CEO Patrice Clausse feels “deeply honored by the trust that [the Yindjibarndi community has given us to work collaboratively with them. Their Pilbara Region] is home to some of the largest industrial energy users globally, many of whom have expressed their desire to transition to a carbon-neutral future. We are actively engaged in promising dialogues with potential off-take customers to purchase RE.”
The Australian Embassy is supporting ACEN with market information and opportunities. According to Clausse: “[Investment advisors in the Philippines and Australia are helping us keep up to date with developments in the latter’s growing RE] sector, and sharing information on investment opportunities. They are also pivotal in helping us connect with government representatives at federal and state levels.”
ACEN has established a solid footprint in Australia’s RE sector, contributing significantly to the country’s clean energy transition and sustainability goals. Its partnership with the Yindjibarndi is not its first with First Nations groups on energy projects in Australia. In March 2023, the RE firm launched the first stage of its New England solar project in New South Wales.
As part of this project, the Filipino RE firm has partnered with the local Anaiwan people to ensure culturally significant areas located on the project site are protected for future generations.