Offshore wind
We’re excited about the potential for offshore wind in Gippsland and Australia. This clean energy technology is also a strong driver of regional jobs and investment.
Harnessing Gippsland’s offshore wind for a clean energy future
Offshore wind is an attractive technology for generating electricity because wind is stronger and more consistent off the coast. This allows more power to be harnessed from those strong ocean winds.
The Gippsland coast is home to a world-class wind resource and experiences strong winds on hot summer days. We’ve looked at 30 years of historical data from the Bureau of Metrology which shows a link between strong winds in Bass Strait and heatwaves, when demand for electricity is high.
Offshore wind taps into a unique weather pattern and wind profile. This diversity helps to create a more balanced renewable system which increases energy reliability and security across the whole electricity network.
Because an offshore wind farm is at sea, projects can be much larger and deliver more power. Greater scale also means more jobs – particularly long-term jobs in regional coastal areas during 25-30 year life of the project.
How does offshore wind work?
Power is generated from offshore wind using turbines out at sea.
Through a series of cables and substations, electricity is transported back to the land to a major connection point, where electricity is distributed to power homes and businesses.
Turbine installation
An offshore wind project involves installing turbines in the ocean.
Star of the South is proposing to use a monopile foundation – the most used foundation for offshore wind farms globally.
Watch the video to find out how it all comes together.
Leading offshore wind development in Australia
Offshore wind is an exciting opportunity to diversify Australia’s energy mix, provide local jobs, and provide energy security as we progress to a more renewable system.
A lot of work has been done already to create this new industry, with legislation, regulations, policies and targets in place.
Our Victorian-based team has global offshore wind experience and local knowledge from working on some of Australia’s biggest infrastructure projects.
Global growth
Offshore wind is one of the fastest growing renewable technologies.
By 2032, approximately 447GW of offshore wind is predicted to be installed globally.
The Global Wind Energy Council’s Global Offshore Wind Report 2023 has identified Australia as an offshore wind ‘market to watch’, with the technology set to play a key role in decarbonisation and emissions reduction targets.