Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program opens

Wind farm on the Western Australia coast with green hills and ocean
Wind farm in Western Australia (Image: Shutterstock)

Western Australian businesses seeking to be a part of the local wind energy manufacturing supply chain can now apply for co-investment to cover up to 50% of eligible project costs under the Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program.

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The funds will be made available through a co-investment and advice program co-created by the WA Government and Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) with $8 million allocated by the state government under the initiative to enhance local businesses’ capacity and capability in wind energy, manufacturing and servicing supply chains.

Priority areas include the manufacturing of wind tower foundations, anchor cages, nacelle components and assembly, transmission poles, specialised trailers (transport), as well as capacity building for replacement parts and servicing, and refurbishing centres.

Western Australian Science Minister Stephen Dawson said, “The Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program is a testament to our commitment to creating a sustainable future for Western Australia. Supporting local businesses to engage in the wind energy supply chains positions the state to reap the benefits of the energy transition while also supporting our economic diversification.

“The co-investment program is designed to provide support to businesses at different stages of their journey.

“Whether it’s helping new businesses to upgrade their accreditations or assisting companies to pivot or scale their operations, this funding will play a crucial role in enhancing our state’s advanced manufacturing capabilities.”

The co-investment program consists of two streams:

  • Market entry stream: Capability focused, indicative project size $20,000-$60,000 (co-investment contribution $10,000-$30,000). This stream supports pre-qualification and accreditation processes, niche software, process improvement and alike.
  • Market growth stream: capacity and capability focused, including capital and/or operating expenditure. Indicative project size $500,000-$1 million (co-investment contribution $250,000-$500,000). This stream supports plant and equipment enhancement (up to 25% of total project cost), R&D projects to create a competitive advantage, and associated investment in ‘market entry’ projects.

Related article: Acciona planning enormous 3GW wind farm in WA

Applications to the Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program will be open, continuous, and competitive until available funding has been exhausted.

Program details, eligibility criteria and application portal can be found here.

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