Central Coast Start-Up 'WaveGrid' Powers Australia’s Green AI Future

WaveGrid, a renewable energy firm founded by engineer Clare Jackson just three years ago, has emerged as the Central Coast’s leading business force in the booming artificial intelligence (AI) datacentre sector. The company finalised agreements this week to supply solar microgrids to four new data hub construction projects across Tuggerah, Warnervale and North Wyong, worth a combined $280 million.

Why the Central Coast, and Why Now?

This comes as rising demand for AI computing power is stoking fierce competition for industrial land and reliable energy in Australia’s burgeoning east coast tech corridor. As national developers scramble for sites near existing transmission infrastructure, stretches of the M1 industrial belt from Ourimbah to Charmhaven have shot to prominence. Local councils and the Central Coast Industry Connect (CCIC) initiative have actively promoted the region’s blend of affordable land and green power potential to tech investors wary of Sydney’s gridlock—as seen in last month’s $750 million Aqualuna Data Hub unveiling at Woongarrah.

WaveGrid’s headquarters sit on Donaldson Street in Wyong, across from the old Masterfoods plant. The enterprise employs 44 staff, most recruited from TAFE NSW Gosford’s Certificate IV in Renewable Energy program. Their signature product—a modular solar-battery system dubbed DockLite—was first piloted last spring at the Bunnings North Wyong. Today, it’s underpinning the region’s rapid transition from traditional logistics and warehousing to high-value AI and cloud infrastructure. The other major player in the field, PowerPivot Australia, is still tied up in land acquisition for its Chittaway Bay project, giving WaveGrid a meaningful head start.

Local land values tell the story: commercial parcels in North Wyong and Jilliby have climbed nearly 32% over the past year, with average sales now hitting $610 per square metre, according to the Central Coast Property Market Report released 19 June. And the tech-driven energy demands are real—a single hyperscale datacentre now requires up to 120 megawatts, more than the entire 2259 postcode used to consume five years ago. WaveGrid’s business model leverages smart-grid software tailored to the Central Coast’s variable sunlight and peak demand patterns, ensuring a smoother fit to the region’s infrastructure than the one-size-fits-all systems pushed by multinational competitors.

What's Next for Local Businesses?

WaveGrid is preparing to expand its local operations with a 5MW demonstration microgrid site at Sparks Road, Warnervale, scheduled for completion by December 2026. Locals seeking to retrain or upskill for energy sector roles can enrol in the Advanced Microgrid Technology short course at TAFE NSW Central Coast, launched in partnership with CCIC last month. The Central Coast Council, meanwhile, will vote later this month on rezoning land adjacent to the Wyong Golf Club for sustainable tech industry use.

Industry observers say the Central Coast is now in pole position for attracting future-proof business investment—and jobs—over the coming decade, provided energy and training rollouts keep pace with developer appetite. For Jackson and the WaveGrid crew, the next 18 months will show if they can power not just servers, but a new generation of skilled careers from Tuggerah to Lake Munmorah.