Australian renewable energy development business Aula Energy announced it has acquired a 1 GW portfolio of operating solar farms from Lightsource bp and a development pipeline of up to 800 MW of associated battery energy storage projects as the London-headquartered developer shifts focus to hybrid generation and storage projects.
The portfolio of operating assets includes the 200 MW Wellington, 400 MW Wellington North, and the 107 MW West Wyalong solar farms in New South Wales (NSW). Also included is the 210 MW Woolooga solar farm in Queensland and the 90 MW Wunghnu solar farms in Victoria.
Sydney-headquartered Aula, established by investment bank Macquarie in 2023 and planning for a portfolio of about 4 GW across Australia and New Zealand, said the “strategic acquisition” complements its existing portfolio of battery and wind projects, including the 228 MW Boulder Creek and 256 MW Carmody’s Hill wind farms being built in Queensland and South Australia respectively.
“Today we’ve taken another meaningful step in Aula Energy’s growth and aspirational leadership in Australia’s clean energy transition,” the company said. “The acquisition establishes our first operating fleet across the National Electricity Market.”
Lightsource bp Asia-Pacific Chief Operating Officer Adam Pegg said the sale of what are the first utility-scale solar projects developed in Australia by the company, marks a shift in focus for the developer.
“Our strategy in the Asia-Pacific region has evolved significantly since these projects were conceived and we are now focused on developing hybrid renewable projects that combine onshore solar and wind with battery storage to deliver firm, flexible, and low-cost energy,” he said.
Pegg said the acceleration of data centre and AI‑driven load, alongside the emergence of new non‑traditional energy users, is rapidly reshaping the future energy mix in the region and hybrid assets allow for tailored solutions that meet the specific needs of its partners and customers.
“Lightsource bp’s solutions that combine onshore renewables, both solar and wind, with battery storage solutions are well positioned to support that growth with reliable, scalable solutions that can respond to the region’s evolving demand profile,” he said.
Lightsource bp, part of the British oil and gas major bp, said it continues to progress a pipeline of more than 9.5 GW of solar, wind and battery storage in the Asia-Pacific region.
The deal with Aula comes after a previously announced $800 million-plus deal with Chinese state-owned company Beijing Energy International Holding (BJEI) for the solar assets was scrapped early last year after failing to secure approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board.
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