Recognised sustainable projects leader

Canberra Times
Monday 14/9/2009 Page: 16

Windlab Systems is a growing Canberra business that prospects for and develops wind energy sites in Canada, USA, South Africa and Australia. The company was commercialised from the Black Mountain campus of CSIRO in 2003. For CSIRO, it was the first in a new model of commercialisation in which CSIRO-developed technology was teamed up with private capital.

Windlab Systems has since grown to have offices worldwide but retains a strong presence in Canberra with its Technical Services and R&D divisions based here. "Being in Canberra we've been able to recruit a number of talented graduates and scientists from the local universities and that has really helped Windlab Systems growth story," Dr Nathan Steggel, head of the local office, said.

A computer cluster based in their Barton office works day and night performing atmospheric calculations. The results of this modelling are wind maps that the company uses to locate viable wind sites all over the world. Teams in the local offices then undertake the stakeholder consultations and approvals necessary to build a renewable energy project.

The company recently announced that Lend Lease Ventures (the venture arm of Lend Lease) has taken a strategic stake in the firm, giving it the necessary financial strength to move its portfolio forward.

"Lend Lease is a recognised leader in sustainable buildings and urban regeneration projects and to have secured their support is a terrific endorsement of the progress we have made as well as an acknowledgement of the importance of our unique technology to the renewable energy sector," Windlab Systems chief executive Mark Sinclair said.

Although the company has consulted on many wind farms, their own developments are just starting to reach fruition. Windlab Systems initiated the Oaklands Hill Windfarm project in western Victoria in 2004, and their project partners AGL Energy recently announced that construction will commence soon.

Windlab Systems has ambitions of a public float in 2011.