“We want more:” State launches fresh round of grant funding for local green manufacturing

The New South Wales government is calling on construction-ready projects that can deliver an “immediate impact” to the state’s low-carbon manufacturing supply chain to apply for a share in the latest round of funding from its Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative.

The Minns Labor government on Tuesday put a further $225 million in grant funding on the table to support low-carbon manufacturing in the NSW Hunter region, looking to build on the more than 40 projects and around 1,000 new jobs the initiative has backed so far.

State energy and environment minister Penny Sharpe says the grant recipients so far include a new solar panel manufacturing facility in the Hunter Valley, a renewables manufacturing hub in Western Sydney, and pioneering battery component technology in the Illawarra.

Sharpe says the new round of grants is focused on businesses manufacturing renewable energy components such as wind towers, solar panels, batteries, and transmission cables, as well as low-carbon products such as blended cement, and emerging clean technologies like lithium battery recycling.

Funding through the new initiative will help business expand local production, attract private investment, and manufacture more equipment, materials, and technologies. Support will focus on creating more skilled jobs, new opportunities for local workers, and stronger regional economies.

“Our investment in low-carbon manufacturing has already supported the creation of around 1,000 jobs, and this boost will power the next wave of industry and opportunity across NSW,” Sharpe said in a statement on Tuesday.

“This additional funding will help ensure NSW does not just import technology but builds more of it locally to benefit communities and workers.”

Among the recipients of funding through the first round of the Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative was Sell & Parker, an Australian owned and operated metal recycling company based in Banksmeadow, and which owns companies heavily involved in the renewable energy transition such as Precision Oxycut and Allthread Industries.

Sell & Parker was awarded $28 million in the first round to help build a new Renewables Manufacturing Hub in Blacktown, to pair with the $38 million to be invested by Sell & Parker.

The new hub will eventually employ 143 full time employees and will be capable of producing 780 wind turbine anchors, thousands of torque tubes, mounts and brackets for solar farms, and 200 monopiles per year for transmission infrastructure.  

Another local company, Tyree Transformers, secured $22 million to build transformers vital for renewable energy projects at their production plant in Wollondilly, helping to create 60 construction and ongoing jobs.

“By backing local manufacturing, we are helping build the industries that will power the next generation of jobs and growth in NSW,” state treasurer Daniel Mookhey said on Tuesday.

“We want more of the products, materials and technologies needed for a low-carbon economy to be made right here, using skilled local workers.”

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