Yanara has appointed Gamuda Australia as the project delivery partner for the early contractor involvement (ECI) phase of the Mortlake Energy Hub in Victoria.
The appointment covers the ECI component of the 450MW solar PV power plant and 600MW/2,400MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) development in southwest Victoria.
Under the partnership agreement, Gamuda Australia will manage end-to-end project execution, including design development, regulatory approvals, procurement activities and oversight of critical construction work packages.
Yanara received a connection agreement to the National Electricity Market (NEM) from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) back in 2024.
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The Mortlake Energy Hub will be developed across a 1,060-hectare site, with a direct connection to the existing Mortlake Terminal Station, thereby avoiding the need for new overhead transmission lines.
Yanara, formerly known as BrightNight Asia Pacific, developed the project as part of Victoria’s renewable energy transition strategy. The company’s selection of Gamuda follows competitive evaluation processes for the ECI phase delivery partner role.
The inclusion of a 4-hour duration BESS will enable the project to provide grid stabilisation services and energy arbitrage capabilities.
Yanara CEO, Jerome Ortiz, said: “Yanara’s appointment of Gamuda marks a major step forward in bringing one of Victoria’s most innovative renewable energy projects to life.”
The battery storage system will store excess solar energy during peak production periods for dispatch during periods of higher electricity demand, supporting grid reliability across Victoria’s southwest region.
The Mortlake development joins an expanding pipeline of utility-scale BESS projects in the area. This includes a 650MWh grid-forming BESS being developed at the Mortlake Power Station by Origin Energy, which recently secured AEMO connection agreements.
The project’s hybrid solar-plus-storage configuration reflects industry trends toward co-located renewable energy generation and battery storage systems, which optimise grid integration and provide enhanced value streams compared to standalone facilities.
In addition to co-location, Australia has become a testbed for DC-coupled hybrid energy projects with multiple systems being developed across the country.
Neha Sinha, product manager for energy storage systems at Wärtsilä Energy Storage spoke with ESN Premium last year about the advantages of such systems and why it is likely to be a trend in the future.
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