The government of Australia has granted feasibility licenses for two offshore wind projects with a total planned capacity of 3.2 GW, to be developed off the coasts of New South Wales and Victoria.
The feasibility licenses have been awarded for the Southern Ocean and Hunter zones.
In Hunter zone, offshore New South Wales, Novocastrian Wind, owned by Equinor and Oceanex Energy, plans to develop a floating wind project with the capacity of 2 GW. Once fully operational, it is expected to power 1.2 million homes and meet 10% of New South Wales’ annual electricity needs.
In the Southern Ocean zone, offshore Victoria, Alinta Energy and Parkwind, part of JERA Nex, are planning to develop Spinifex offshore wind farm, with a capacity of 1.2 GW.
It would cover 265 km2, and be capable of meeting 10% of Victoria’s electricity needs.
Over the next 7 years, the feasibility of licensed project proposals will be tested, and before any offshore wind farms are constructed, the feasibility license holders must develop management plans, undertake environmental assessments, obtain environmental approvals, and consult with marine users, the community and First Nation groups.
“We’ve done a lot of work on the project over almost four years, so it’s great that the project has moved quickly from zone declaration to a feasibility license being offered.
“We thank the government for the prompt decision. It puts us in a good position to complete our upcoming seasonal surveys and keep progressing the project,” said Jeff Dimery, Alinta Energy MD and CEO.
“This announcement is an important step but there is plenty of further work to do. We welcome this decision by the government and look forward to bringing our global expertise and scale into this joint venture, while remaining focused on consulting and working closely with the local community, various levels of government and other key stakeholders to ensure the shared success of this project,” added Nathalie Oosterlinck, CEO of JERA Nex.