Windlab was formed in 2003 as the culmination of a long research program at Australia's pre-eminent research organisation CSIRO (the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation). The founding scientists, Dr Keith Ayotte and Dr Nathan Steggel, have strong theoretical and practical backgrounds. Prior to his work at CSIRO Dr Ayotte undertook meteorological research in the United States (NCAR, National Center for Atmospheric Research) and provided weather forecasts (Environment Canada). Dr Steggel was a research scientist in the United Kingdom (EnFlo). Within CSIRO the founders also gained considerable experience of consulting to the wind industry and when Windlab formed the benefits of having the technology suite in-house attracted a number of experienced wind industry professionals to the organisation.

Windlab's technology (WindScape^TM and RaptorNL^TM) and expertise were initially applied to assist clients and partners locate and develop sites, including many sites that are now either operating wind farms or under construction. Windlab has also assisted Governments in promoting wind power through the production of wind atlases.

In 2005, Windlab formed a joint venture with Investec Bank Australia Limited. Combining Investec's strengths in infrastructure financing and Windlab's site development and wind engineering skills has proved very successful and a number of projects have been developed under this structure. It is expected that the earlier projects initiated under this structure will enter construction later in 2009.

The last few years have seen exceptional growth for Windlab and the company is now represented in North America and South Africa by its subsidiaries:

• Windlab Developments USA based in Portland, Oregon and Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Windlab Developments Canada based in Calgary
• Windlab Developments South Africa based in Cape Town

Windlab is now truly a multi-national wind developer with a large and diverse portfolio of sites at all stages of development across Australasia, North America and South Africa. Our team of people have extensive wind industry experience including the development of the first commercially operating wind farms in both Canada and Australia - these early sites were small in size but big on experience and it's that expertise that will guide Windlab through the next decade as we aim to realise our project portfolio which includes Giga Watt scale projects capable of servicing many hundreds of thousands of households with clean renewable energy.