Stefan Bradley
ALL 12 Gippsland Offshore Wind Zone projects originally announced by the federal government in May have now been granted feasibility licences following consultations with First Nations groups and communities.
The licence allows the company to assess the feasibility of the offshore infrastructure project that the licence holder proposes to carry out in the licence area under a potential future commercial licence. It allows the licence holder to construct, install, commission, operate, maintain and decommission the offshore wind project in the licence area, as long as the legislative requirements are met.
Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen in May had announced 12 projects for Gippsland offshore wind, with six receiving a licence. Those behind the other six projects were asked by the government to consult with First Nations communities who may be impacted by the wind farm, with a licence for all expected to be granted later on.
Last week the government revealed it’s issued the licences to Iberdrola Australia OW 2 (for its Aurora Green wind farm), Greater Gippsland 2 OWP Project (Gippsland Dawn), Navigator North Project, Ørsted Offshore Australia 1 (Gippsland 02), Kent Offshore Wind (as detailed in last Tuesday’s, 23/07/24, issue of the Gippsland Times), and Great Eastern Offshore Wind Farm Project Co.
Ørsted and Iberdrola at the time of publication have yet to comment publicly on this news, whereas the other four have shared updates on the projects or acknowledged the announcement. Iberdola referred the Gippsland Times to their statement in May welcoming the preliminary issuing of the licence.
In May, the following six projects were given feasibility licences: High Sea Wind Project North, Gippsland Skies, Blue Mackerel North, Kut-Wut Brataualung Project, Ørsted 1 and Star of the South.
The feasibility licences last seven years. From here, the holders can continue community consultation and apply for a commercial licence.
The government says these 12 projects were capable of generating 25 GW, more electricity than the entire state of Victoria generated last year.
These projects are spread across a nearly 15,000 square kilometre site, stretching from Lakes Entrance to Wilsons Promontory.
From January 23 to April 27 last year, the federal government accepted feasibility licence applications for proposed projects within the declared area.
A total of 37 applications for licences were considered by the federal government, including Flotation Energy’s, Seadragon project. Flotation Energy is a Scottish company owned by Tokyo Electric Power Company offshore wind project, but the company was not granted a feasibility licence.
This rejection of the licence comes despite the state government granting Seadragon ‘Major Project Status’ last year, predicting it had a capital expenditure of $6.5 billion and would create around 1600 construction jobs and 200 ongoing jobs over 35 years.
