Australia grants 12 feasibility licenses for Victoria’s offshore wind projects.

The Australian government has taken a significant step towards offshore wind energy development by granting a second batch of feasibility licenses for potential projects. Industry leaders such as RWE, Iberdrola, and Corio Generation are among the companies granted licenses to explore proposed offshore wind farms off the Gippsland coast in Victoria. Minister of Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen emphasized the importance of this development, noting that a dozen projects have now been licensed to proceed to the next phase of development, marking a doubling in the number of licenses granted.

The Gippsland region was designated as Australia’s first offshore wind energy region in late 2022, with strong characteristics for wind power generation. The feasibility licenses allow for detailed technical studies and surveys of the lease areas, with the results informing the design and application for commercial licenses. It is anticipated that the first projects could be operational by 2030, with companies like RWE preparing for up to seven years of seabed rights to develop and operate wind farms.

Various companies have proposed ambitious offshore wind projects in the Gippsland region, with potential capacities ranging from 1.5 GW to 4.8 GW. The Australian government received a total of 37 applications for offshore wind projects, with 12 projects moving forward for development. In addition to Gippsland, Australia has identified five other priority areas for offshore wind energy development, signaling a significant commitment to renewable energy initiatives in the country.

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