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If the pilot projects are successful and technologies prove commercially viable, the seven projects could reduce emissions by 32 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in WA.

Alcoa’s Electric Calcination project will receive $1.7 million to pilot replacing gas with electricity for calcination of alumina to decarbonise the refining process, giving WA a commercial advantage for a green aluminium industry.

“The high level of interest and the quality of proposals submitted to the second round of the Clean Energy Future Fund demonstrates a strong and innovative clean energy industry developing in Western Australia,” WA Environment Minister Reece Whitby said.

“The State Government is proud to support these projects in their efforts to decarbonise existing industry and develop new low carbon industries.

“These seven projects will not only reduce carbon emissions and create jobs across the State, but they will test critical low carbon technologies and support Western Australia to achieve our target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.”

The CEFF supports innovative clean energy projects and technologies with the potential to support reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Nomadic Energy’s project at Northern Star’s Carosue Dam gold mine is a success from the first round of CEFF funding, which completed installation in August 2021 and is generating energy from its re-deployable solar panels to support the mine.

The other projects in the second round of CEFF funding include solar, wind, biogas and bio-diesel generation, battery and pumped hydroelectric storage and geothermal energy.

The seven projects are expected to invest $197 million, much of it in WA, create up to 255 jobs during construction and provide 63 operational jobs, generate 81,000-megawatt hours each year, and avoid around 132,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year or 2.4 million tonnes over their design lives.

“The Clean Energy Future Fund supports leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators in Western Australia’s clean energy sector,” Energy Minister Bill Johnston said.

“We have the resources, the highly skilled workforces and the drive-in this State to create a dynamic clean energy economy.

“These impressive Round 2 clean energy projects will provide new local renewable energy options, improve energy security and reliability, and strengthen our economy.”