WA backs local wind energy manufacturing with third co-investment to Turbine Solutions

Turbine Solutions has become the third company to secure funding through the Western Australian Government’s Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program, receiving $453,230 in co-investment. Administered by the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC), the funding will support the company’s transition into the rapidly growing wind energy sector.

The $906,460 project will leverage the company’s proven expertise in gas and oil turbine maintenance to deliver specialised services for wind turbines maintenance and refurbishment. The project is expected to create up to 15 new jobs and generate $11.2 million in new revenue over five years for the Western Australian company.

In partnership with a global manufacturer of wind turbines, Turbine Solutions will focus on commercialising services such as bearing replacements and borescope inspections of main shafts which are critical to turbine performance and uptime.

Bearings enable the rotation of key components inside the nacelle, including the main shaft, gearbox, and generator. Their maintenance is complex, requiring precision tools, stringent safety protocols, and highly trained personnel, particularly given the remote locations and high-altitude environments in which turbines operate.

By leveraging its experience in the oil and gas sector, Turbine Solutions aims to reduce turbine downtime, improve safety, and deliver faster, locally delivered maintenance using customised tools and wind-specific training. Field trials at wind operational farms in Western Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales will validate Turbine Solutions’ expanded capabilities and processes.

Premier for Western Australia, Roger Cook said: “Western Australia has the skills, ingenuity and industrial capability to lead the nation in renewable energy and advanced manufacturing.

“This investment in Turbine Solutions shows how local businesses can pivot their expertise in oil and gas into new clean energy industries, creating jobs and strengthening WA’s economy.

“The Cook Government is proud to back local companies that are helping to drive the global energy transition while building a stronger, more sustainable future for our State,” said Premier Cook.

Amber-Jade Sanderson, Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation and Manufacturing said: “Turbine Solutions is a great example of a WA company applying decades of experience in the resources sector to emerging opportunities in wind energy.

“Through the Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program, we’re helping local businesses build new capabilities, create skilled jobs, and take their place in global renewable supply chains.

“This initiative reflects the Cook Government’s commitment to growing a resilient local manufacturing industry that supports decarbonisation and economic diversification,” said Minister Sanderson.

The project will position Turbine Solutions as a foundational service provider in Australia’s renewable energy transition, offering operators a local, certified, and ready workforce backed by specialised technology and decades of industrial experience.

Eugenio Sanchez, a Director of Turbine Solutions said, “With support from the Western Australian Government and AMGC, we’re building a specialised team, toolkit, and service model tailored for the wind energy sector, focused on boosting turbine performance and cutting downtime.

“The Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program has been the launchpad for Turbine Solutions to use our oil and gas turbine experience and apply these capabilities to wind. As a result, we will deliver a scalable, high-impact maintenance wind-turbine servicing model that improves safety, reduces disruption, and builds critical local capability in Australia’s clean energy supply chain,” said Sanchez.

Beyond expanding its services into the wind energy sector, Turbine Solutions will adopt ISO 9001 and turbine-specific safety standards, upskill staff through Global Wind Organisation (GWO)-certified training, and introduce advanced tools, such as Quick-Switch and BoltSafe sensors, alongside custom tooling for safer access and real-time monitoring. These technologies, though new to the wind sector, are well-proven in oil and gas services.

Ellen McGarrity, WA State Director for AMGC said, “Turbine Solutions captures our intent of the Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-investment Program perfectly. We have highly capable local manufacturers who can leverage their existing expertise and grow employment and business opportunities in the State, rather than importing them from abroad or interstate.

“We encourage all Western Australian-based manufacturers to assess their current business capability and identify opportunities to diversify and grow through this co-investment program,” said McGarrity.

Administered by the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC), Turbine Solutions’ project is the third business to receive co-investment through via the Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program, which was launched in late 2024. Across all projects to date, the program has spurred manufacturing activity, which is expected to create over 85 new jobs and generate almost $65 million in new revenues for the State’s economy in its first five years.

Applications to the Wind Energy Manufacturing Co-Investment Program are open, continuous, and competitive until available funding has been exhausted. The co-investment program consists of two streams:

• Market entry stream: Capability focused, indicative project size $20K-$60K (co-investment contribution $10K-$30K). 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 $500K-$1 million (Co-investment contribution $250K-$500K). 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.

Manufacturers interested in applying for funds under either of the two program streams can access written guidelines and a pre-recorded webinar via https://www.amgc.org.au/wind-energy-program/

Program details, eligibility criteria and application portal can also be found at:  www.amgc.org.au/wind-energy-program/

Over the past eight years, AMGC has facilitated more than 500 national collaborations and co-funded over 161 industry projects, while creating more than 4,300 jobs across the country. It has invested over $137 million of combined industry and Government funds into manufacturing projects, resulting in an estimated $1.62 billion in additional national revenue.