PILBARA, Western Australia — ACEN Corp., the renewable energy arm of the Ayala Group, announced on Monday, May 11, 2026, that its joint venture, Yindjibarndi Energy Corp. (YEC), has successfully reached financial close for the 75-megawatt (MW) Jinbi Solar Project. This milestone officially green-lights the construction of one of Australia’s most significant Indigenous-led renewable energy initiatives.
The Jinbi Solar Project is the first development to reach this stage since the partnership between ACEN and the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corp. was established three years ago.
Located in the sun-drenched Pilbara region, the Jinbi facility is designed with scalability and future-proofing in mind.
- Initial Capacity: 75 MWac (alternating current).
- Expansion Potential: The partners hold an option to double the capacity to 150 MWac.
- Energy Storage: Future development phases may include the integration of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), depending on regulatory approvals.
- Timeline: With construction now authorized, the facility is targeted to achieve full commercial operations by mid-2028.
Alongside the financial milestone, YEC has secured a massive 30-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto.
- 100% Offtake: Rio Tinto will purchase the entire electricity output generated by the first stage of the project.
- Decarbonizing Mining: The clean energy will directly support the decarbonization of Rio Tinto’s iron ore operations in the Pilbara, marking a major step toward the mining industry’s net-zero goals.
- Indigenous Leadership: The project sets a new benchmark for “responsible and respectful” development, ensuring that traditional owners are not just stakeholders, but leaders in the energy transition.
The Jinbi project is a critical piece of ACEN’s aggressive expansion in the Australian market, which currently accounts for 28% of its international renewable energy capacity.
| Key Metric | Status / Goal |
| Current Australian Capacity | Over 1,000 MW (1 GW) |
| 2026 Australia Target | 3,000 MW (3 GW) |
| Global 2030 Goal | 20,000 MW (20 GW) |
Following the financial close, YEC has issued “notices to proceed” to DT Infrastructure (EPC contractor) and Rapid Camps (accommodation provider) to begin site mobilization.
The Jinbi announcement follows a string of successful milestones for ACEN Australia in early 2026:
- Stubbo Solar Farm: The 400-MW project in New South Wales reached full commercial operation in late 2025 and was recently folded into a 750 million AUD project finance pool.
- New England Solar: Stage 1 (400 MW) remains a top-performing asset, with Stage 2 currently in development.
“Jinbi demonstrates what is possible when traditional owner leadership, long-term vision, and disciplined project development come together.” — Patrice Clausse, ACEN Group Chief Investment Officer.
