- 1.2 GW offshore wind project to be developed in Australia
BlueFloat Energy, a Madrid-based energy company, and Australia’s Energy Estate have announced a 1.2 GW offshore wind project in Australia. The project, called Southern Winds, is to be located off the coasts of South Australia and Victoria.
The wind project is bottom-fixed and is located 10-30 kilometres off the shore, within the Portland West Offshore Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) announced by the Victorian government, according to the companies.
The project will mark the latest of Energy Estate and BlueFloast’s project in the newly developing offshore wind sector of Australia, bringing their pipeline to more than 5 GW. The companies had revealed at the closing of 2021 that they would be partnering on the development of a 4.3 GW offshore wind project in the Australian waters. They also disclosed plans for expansion in 2022. The partnership is now going ahead with the development of more sites in Australia and New Zealand.
According to the developers, the benefits of the Southern Winds site include strong wind resources, a skilled local workforce, access to a deep-water port and the potential to complement existing and proposed onshore wind farms, among others.
“Australia’s change in Government in May this year has shifted the narrative on climate change and the role of renewables in decarbonising the country’s economy,” Nick Sankey, country manager for BlueFloat Energy, said and expressed excitement about the role of offshore wind.