25 November 2020
Traditional Owners now have strengthened opportunities to participate in WA’s burgeoning renewable energy sector, with Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation’s (YMAC) new ownership deal in Pilbara Solar.
The not-for-profit organisation has acquired 50 percent ownership of Western Australian renewable energy development and social impact company, Pilbara Solar Pty Ltd (PS). YMAC is run by an Aboriginal Board of Directors, with Aboriginal members – and provides legal, professional and administrative services to Traditional Owners across Western Australia’s Pilbara, Mid West, Murchison and Gascoyne regions.
PS’s purpose is to develop commercial, utility-scale renewable energy solutions, in partnership with Traditional Owners. The company also aims to provide power to the mining industry, remote communities, government, businesses, and energy retailers in long-term, competitive and fixed price agreements.
PS drives the economic empowerment of Aboriginal people by creating an equity partnership business model that allows Aboriginal organisations to have the opportunity to participate and share in the wealth generated from the renewable energy industry. The company also prioritises Aboriginal and local contracting in all its projects.
PS Managing Director, Kylie Chalmers congratulated YMAC for their commitment and ongoing support.
“As a company, we are at an exciting phase of our development – moving from being a start-up to scaling-up our activities, and we have recently become a registered Aboriginal supplier with Supply Nation. This new growth period is critical to our operations. We are confident that with the right support, we will be able to achieve the delivery of high-quality, renewable energy products to meet industry needs – and at the same time, deliver important social outcomes,” Ms Chalmers said.
“Western Australia is recognised as having some of the best solar resources on the planet, we are ready to tap into this market, while also creating commercial opportunities for Aboriginal people to ensure that they also reap the rewards,” she added.
The remainder 50 per cent share of PS is owned by three renewable energy experts, who were the company’s founding Directors. Samantha Mella (project leader of the prefeasibility study, Evaluating the potential to export PS resources to the proposed ASEAN grid via a subsea high voltage direct current interconnector); clean energy consultant, Dr Geoff James who is a thought leader with over 25 years of multidisciplinary research experience with government and private sector clients; and renewable energy developer and private consultant, Dr Richard Finlay Jones.
To download the media statement click here.
For more information contact YMAC Communications Manager Jane Mitchell,
0427 463 796 or editor@ymac.org.au
