The Western Australian Government will support an independent feasibility study into wind turbine manufacturing from its $10 million Wind Turbine Manufacturing Initiative.
Hosting one of the longest coastlines in the world, Western Australia is well suited to take advantage of wind energy according to its State Minister for Development, Jobs and Trade, Roger Cook.
“With one of the longest coastlines in the world, wind energy is a natural fit for WA,” Mr Cook said.
Independent consultants Aurecon have been contracted to deliver the study, which will progress findings from an initial pre-feasibility study first approved in 2021.
The 2021 study recommended actions to progress wind turbine manufacturing in WA, including developing a detailed approach for Government trading enterprises in the energy sector such as Synergy, Horizon and Western Power, and identified that Government investment and financial assistance is critical to transition Western Australian businesses to wind turbine component manufacturing.
The full feasibility study is the next step of the State Government’s $10 million Wind Turbine Manufacturing Initiative to further support and facilitate local wind turbine manufacturing, and will verify opportunities and requirements for a potential manufacturing hub, including suitable industrial land.
“This study builds on our plans to invest an estimated $3.8 billion in green energy infrastructure to help cut WA Government emissions by 80 per cent below 2020 levels by 2030, and we are eager to understand the sustainable opportunities to locally manufacture turbine components,” Mr Cook said.
The Wind Turbine Manufacturing Initiative is supported by the Local Participation in Wind Farm Supply Action Group, comprising industry representative bodies, steel producers, local fabricators and wind farm proponents.
Aurecon will consult with industry and supply chain participants to verify and scope current and future demand requirements, industry participation, logistics requirements, and supply chain capacity in WA.
“Growing our capacity to manufacture components locally will help improve the efficiency of serving this vital green infrastructure, and create new export opportunities.
“Developing a wind turbine component manufacturing industry is another way the WA Government is diversifying the economy and creating additional sustainable jobs for Western Australians,” Mr Cook said.
