Australian federal government opens public consultation for 14 GW offshore wind projects

The Australian government has opened a public consultation on a third offshore wind zone, which spans Victoria and South Australia, to advance towards the possibility of offshore wind farms and the potential of accommodating up to 14 GW of offshore wind capacity.

The Southern Ocean region provides ideal conditions for offshore wind projects, due to its strong and consistent winds, proximity to high electricity-demand areas, and existing connections to the grid and local infrastructure.

Community members, traditional landowners, workers, and industry groups will have until August 31 to provide feedback on job and industry opportunities, visual impact and impact on areas of cultural significance, common use infrastructure, and all other related matters.

This announcement comes after the government identified six offshore wind zones last year, two of which have already been designated for offshore wind development; the third zone encompasses the Southern Ocean region. The remaining three zones include the Pacific Ocean region off the Illawarra in NSW, the Bass Strait region off Northern Tasmania, and the Indian Ocean region off Perth/Bunbury.