Renewable Devices Swift Turbines Ltd (RDST) has entered in to a partnership with aiAutomotive (aiA) and Insurance Australia Group (IAG) to set up a new venture, Micro Wind Turbines Australia Pty Ltd (MWTA). The partners will work together over the coming months to develop a license to distribute the SWIFT™ Rooftop Wind Energy System throughout Australia.

aiLimited has a strong pedigree of technical expertise in manufacturing, and comprises aiAutomotive in South Australia and aiConstruction in Western Australia. aiA are a significant Tier One supplier of original equipment components to the automotive industry and has a diverse history in property, technology, maintenance, manufacturing, engineering and automotive parts production. aiA have committed to bring this wealth of expertise to the partnership in order to assist RDST with the manufacturing of turbines for the Australian market, and continue the drive down of the price of Swift™ turbines to their customers.

Insurance Australia Group (IAG) is an international general insurance group, with operations in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Asia. IAG’s businesses underwrite approximately $7.5 billion of premium per annum and employ around 16,000 people. IAG is participating as part of its carbon neutral strategy. IAG intends to make its global operations carbon neutral within five years, and views the Swift™ wind turbine and this exciting new tie-up with RDST as a key component of this strategy.

Swift™ wind turbines are being installed on major buildings in central Adelaide as part of the State Government's push for renewable energy. Following successful trial of five Swift™ turbines on top of the State Administration Centre, which includes the office of Premier Mike Rann, a further 60 have now been ordered by the State Government. "This is the first installation outside of the United Kingdom of the two-metre rooftop wind turbines which can provide a cost-effective renewable energy source for homes, community and industrial buildings,'' Premier Rann said. Each Swift™ turbine produces 1.5kw of electricity or between a third and a half of a household's electricity requirements.

A driver for this deal was the South Australian (SA) government’s leadership in developing business opportunities for companies that want to get on board its climate change initiatives. The SA government was the first in the country to introduce climate change and renewable energy legislation. The SA Premier Mike Rann is also Australia’s first Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change and the state has a growing reputation leading the way in renewable energy. This initial order for 60 Swift™ wind turbines is primarily for SA Government properties, with a number of larger orders in the pipeline. All partners see this initial batch as the first in a successful relationship which will see the mass-market roll out of this revolutionary new micro-generation technology in the Australian market.