ACEnergy completes sale of ready-to-build 250MW / 1000MWh Yanco BESS to BW ESS

New South Wales, Australia, 13 August 2026 – Global energy storage owner-operator, BW ESS, has acquired the Yanco Battery Energy Storage System (Yanco BESS) from leading Australian renewable energy developer ACEnergy. BW ESS will now move the 250MW / 1,000MWh project in Riverina, New South Wales through construction and into long-term operations.

Yanco BESS will connect to the Yanco 132kV substation and will provide firming capacity, energy arbitrage and system security services to the National Electricity Market. Projects like Yanco are increasingly important as Australia meets rising electricity demand while maintaining reliability. Once operational, the project has the capacity to supply around 430,000 homes with electricity for 4 hours.

ACEnergy developed Yanco BESS from origination through to ready-to-build status, securing land, planning approval, grid connection and all key project rights and contracts. Having acquired the project, BW ESS will now bring its global expertise in unlocking the value of energy storage to the project; taking responsibility for construction and long-term operation, while managing ongoing community and local stakeholder engagement.

Yanco BESS has been shaped by ongoing engagement with the local community, with the project’s existing commitments continuing under BW ESS ownership. These include the $3 million Voluntary Planning Agreement with Leeton Shire Council, alongside ongoing community engagement and a focus on maximising local employment and procurement opportunities as construction progresses.

Global energy storage technology company CATL has been appointed as System Integrator for the project while ACLE Services has been engaged as Balance of Plant (BoP) contractor. CATL and ACLE Services will also provide long-term operations and maintenance services to the project. Site construction will commence later this year, with commercial operation planned for 2028.

The project’s revenues are underpinned by a capacity swap, which provides long-term contracted cashflow.

For ACEnergy, this transaction reflects a continued ability to work with Australian communities to develop high-quality storage and renewable projects that meet the country’s energy needs and to partner with long-term capital to deliver them. Yanco BESS is the fifth large-scale BESS development by ACEnergy to reach financial close.

Raymond Wang, Managing Director of ACEnergy, said:

“Financial close on Yanco BESS is a significant milestone for ACEnergy and a strong endorsement of our platform. We have taken the project from origination through to ready-to-build, working closely with the local community and stakeholders along the way.

“BW ESS has a strong track record of delivering and operating major energy storage projects, and the capability and resources to realise Yanco’s full potential. We are delighted to partner with them as the project moves into construction and towards long-term operation.”

For BW ESS, Yanco represents a welcome addition to an Australian portfolio which encompasses wholly or jointly-owned projects totalling 1.3GWh in the commissioning phase, 1GWh entering construction, and a greenfield pipeline totalling around 2GW across the National Electricity Market. The addition of Yanco BESS reflects BW ESS’s continued commitment to supporting Australia’s transition to a more flexible, reliable and resilient electricity system.

Andy Hadland, Executive Director at BW ESS said:

“We’re pleased to welcome Yanco BESS to BW ESS’s growing Australian portfolio. As a long-term owner and operator of energy-storage assets, our priority is to progress the project responsibly, establish strong local relationships and deliver enduring value for the electricity system.

“Australia’s investment in a more flexible and reliable power system creates a compelling role for battery storage, and we are delighted to support that transition through Yanco BESS.”

About BW ESS

BW ESS is a global energy storage owner-operator, moving with speed to develop, deliver and operate market-leading projects.

The business is active in the UK, Australia, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Sweden. It has more than 540MWh of operating Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), with ~11GWh under construction and a development pipeline of several gigawatts.

Part of BW Group, BW ESS builds on decades of global infrastructure experience, takes a long-term view of projects and partnerships, and focuses on unlocking value throughout the energy storage asset lifecycle.

To find out more, visit: https://bw-ess.com/

About ACEnergy

ACEnergy is a vertically integrated renewable energy developer headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria, with a portfolio of battery energy storage and solar projects across the National Electricity Market and more than 2.5 GW of renewable energy projects in development. ACEnergy develops projects from origination through to ready-to-build and financial close, with in-house engineering, procurement and construction capability delivered through ACLE Services.

Media contact (ACEnergy):

Richanand Mishra
General Manager
r.mishra@acenergy.com.au

Media contact (BW ESS):

Tamarindo Communications
bwess@tamarindo.global