Gamuda Renewables Acquires Stake in Hazelwood North Solar and Battery Project in Victoria

Why It Matters

The partnership blends large‑scale renewable generation with digital infrastructure, offering a low‑carbon, reliable power source for data centres while accelerating the energy transition in a historically coal‑dependent region.

Key Takeaways

• Gamuda acquires stake in 450 MW Hazelwood North solar‑battery project.
• Project includes 1,800 MWh four‑hour battery, slated for 2028 construction.
• Plans consider co‑located data centre powered directly by on‑site renewables.
• Expansion could create ~450 construction jobs in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley.
• Gamuda targets 5 GW Australian renewable assets by 2031.

Pulse Analysis

Malaysia’s Gamuda Renewables is stepping into Australia’s renewable market with a stake in the Hazelwood North solar‑battery hybrid in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley. The project, approved for a 450 MW solar farm and a four‑hour, 1,800 MWh battery, is slated to break ground in 2028. This marks Gamuda’s first Victorian asset and expands its portfolio that already includes wind and solar developments in Tasmania. By surpassing its original 2 GW target for Australian capacity, the company signals a rapid escalation toward its 5 GW ambition by 2031, positioning itself among the region’s leading clean‑energy investors.

The developers are already eyeing a co‑located data centre that could draw power straight from the on‑site solar array and battery storage. Such an arrangement would give the facility a high degree of energy independence, using the battery as a shock absorber during demand spikes and troughs. For data‑centre operators, this translates into lower transmission costs, enhanced reliability, and a verifiable carbon‑free supply chain. The model also eases pressure on the broader grid, a valuable advantage in a region still transitioning from coal‑based generation.

The Hazelwood North venture dovetails with a broader wave of large‑scale storage projects sprouting across the Latrobe Valley, including the 150 MW/150 MWh Hazelwood battery and EnergyAustralia’s 350 MW/1,400 MWh Woreen installation. Together with Gamuda’s pumped‑hydro pipelines—900 MW Oven Mountain and 750 MW Capricornia—these assets could reshape the region’s energy mix and provide a reliable backbone for digital infrastructure. The project is also projected to generate about 450 construction jobs, delivering an immediate economic boost to a community historically anchored in coal mining. Approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board will be the final hurdle before construction commences.

Deal Summary

Malaysia’s Gamuda Renewables announced it has purchased a stake in the Hazelwood North solar farm and battery project in Victoria, Australia. The project includes a 450 MW solar farm and a 1,800 MWh battery, with plans to expand to power a co‑located data centre. The acquisition, pending FIRB approval, was disclosed without financial terms.