As the country races to expand its renewable capacity, Specialised Energy Solutions is closing the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) gap with a partner-for-life model that redefines accountability across the lifecycle of clean energy assets.
Australia’s clean energy build-out is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, but for many asset owners, the challenge begins long after the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Behind every gigawatt of new solar and storage capacity lies a long-term question of performance, reliability and risk. In an industry where most Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractors step away after practical completion, one Australian company is rewriting the rulebook on lifecycle accountability.
Founded in 2022, Specialised Energy Solutions (SES) has quickly earned its reputation as a trusted partner across the nation’s renewable energy sector.
Aaron Mulhall, Chief Executive Officer at SES said that the young but growing organisation is built around a simple, yet radical idea that companies that design and build energy assets should also remain responsible for their long-term performance.
“Most EPCs stay for just 2.5 per cent of your asset’s life, while SES stays for 100 per cent,” he said.
“When the same partner builds, maintains, and services your asset, interests are fully aligned. Cutting corners upfront only creates future risk for SES itself. So, we invest in quality that endures.”
A three-pillar model long game
SES’s integrated model combines three core business divisions: EPC, operations and maintenance (O&M), and technical support aligned with Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), to deliver what the company calls its ‘three-in-one EPC approach.’ This full-spectrum of service covers every phase of a renewable energy project’s life – from civil construction and grid-connected installation to decades-long O&M.
O&M sits at the heart of SES’s offering. The team provides electrical, mechanical, civil and operational support across existing assets, with tailored contracts that extend far beyond the warranty period. Their technicians are the same specialists who helped design and install the original systems – giving asset owners continuity of knowledge and accountability rarely seen in the industry.
Complementing O&M is Technical Product Support, a division dedicated to root-cause analysis and remedial work. Drawing on SES’s background in heavy-industry and fixed-plant maintenance, the team investigates installation or product failures to identify and resolve underlying issues – not just the symptoms. This results in improved asset output, reduced downtime, and confidence that performance problems are being solved at the source.
Finally, SES’s Development Division manages the early stages of new clean energy projects, from civil construction through to turnkey mechanical and electrical installation. Together, these arms create a seamless bridge between short-term project delivery and long-term operational success.
EPC Gap: A 35-year problem
To understand SES’s philosophy, Mulhall points to what he calls the “EPC gap.”
Traditional EPC contractors are typically engaged for the design, procurement, construction, and commissioning of a project – a process that lasts less than a year. On a utility-scale solar or Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) asset with a projected 35-year lifespan, that represents just 2.5 per cent of the journey.
Once practical completion is achieved, most EPCs hand over the keys and move on to the next project. Their contractual interest ends, leaving asset owners to navigate the remaining 97.5 per cent of the asset’s life alone.
“Too often EPCs choose equipment on lowest upfront cost, not long-term performance,” said Alba Ruiz Leon, Non-Executive Director at SES.
“They overlook equipment reliability and fail to ensure true compatibility across all moving parts over time. This leaves owners exposed to hidden ‘iceberg risks’ – where only a fraction is visible, while most remain hidden until it is too late,” she added.
These hidden risks can emerge years after the EPC departs. For BESS in particular, warranty conditions hinge on strict adherence to Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) maintenance schedules. Yet, few EPCs maintain Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with OEMs, forcing owners to contract manufacturers directly at high cost. Without these agreements, preventive maintenance can slip, warranties can lapse, and failures may only surface once the coverage period has expired – leaving owners to foot the bill. Even with a generous two-year warranty period, it still represents just 5.5 per cent of an asset’s overall life. The remaining 92 per cent is the O&M phase, where the real financial and performance risks lay.
Battery Storage: Promise and pitfalls
As the renewable transition deepens, BESS are rapidly becoming the backbone of a flexible, reliable grid. But their complexity introduces new layers of risk. Unlike solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, which are largely passive, BESS assets involve dynamic electrical, thermal and software interfaces between multiple OEMs. A minor calibration fault or firmware mismatch can cascade into system-wide failures.
SES has aimed to position itself at the forefront of this frontier. Its engineers are trained and accredited by leading OEMs to deliver warranty-compliant maintenance and repairs, ensuring every intervention safeguards both performance and warranty status. By maintaining formal partnerships and SLAs with OEMs, SES gives asset owners confidence that their equipment will continue to operate within manufacturer specifications – without the need for costly third-party callouts.
“At SES our combined EPC, O&M, OEM model aligns interests with asset owners for the long run. It’s not about chasing short-term KPIs, it’s about designing projects that can stand the test of time,” Ruiz Leon said.
Building beyond practical completion
For SES, staying involved beyond practical completion is not a contractual obligation – it is a strategic advantage. Because the company remains responsible for performance over the long term, it designs and constructs assets with lifecycle reliability as the starting point, not an afterthought. This philosophy has become known internally as #theSESstandard, which is a guiding set of principles that informs every project, process and partnership.
“#theSESstandard is more than a slogan. It is the blueprint of our identity. It reflects our commitment to excellence and integrity – and it is why asset owners trust us not just to deliver projects, but to stand behind them for life,” Ruiz Leon said.
Under this ethos, SES prioritises quality at every stage – from component selection and cable management, to commissioning documentation and operator training. The organisation’s technical teams are equally adept at fault diagnosis as it is at design validation, providing a rare edge to its clients in the end-to-end assurance loop in the Australian market.