Gamuda Renewables has acquired an interest in the Hazelwood North Solar Farm and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) from Manthos Investments.
The Hazelwood North Solar Farm and BESS project is an approved 450 MW hybrid solar and battery energy storage project spanning 1,100ha in Latrobe Valley, Victoria. The project is designed to pair up to 450MW of solar generation with a 4-hour (1,800MWh) battery energy storage system.
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When operational, the project is expected to power approximately 150,000 homes. With Development Approval already secured through Victoria’s Development Facilitation Program, the project is set to enter construction in 2028 with commercial operation expected in 2030, pending a final investment decision (FID).
The acquisition increases Gamuda Renewables’ Australian portfolio to three assets across the National Electricity Market (NEM) and builds on Gamuda’s recent landmark success under the Australian Government’s Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS), with its Weasel Solar Farm and Cellars Hill Wind Farm selected among 19 successful projects nationwide.
Manthos and Gamuda Renewables are actively exploring an expansion of the project to include a co-located data centre onsite. A utility-neutral approach could see a co-located data centre powered directly by the onsite solar and BESS, operating with greater independence from the wider distribution network.
Gamuda Australia chief strategy and development officer Jarred Hardman said, “Hazelwood North marks a significant milestone for us—not only as our first Victorian asset, but as a project that captures exactly where the energy transition is heading.
“The opportunity to expand the project to include a data centre is something both Manthos and our team are genuinely excited about. Pairing large-scale renewable generation and storage with the digital infrastructure that increasingly depends on it is a compelling model, and one we look forward to progressing in the months ahead.”
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The acquisition is subject to approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB).
