New offshore wind zone declared in Western Australia
Interested developers should apply for a feasibility licence by 6 November 2024.
Australia has declared a 4,000 square kilometre offshore wind zone off the coast of Bunbury, Western Australia.
The development has the potential to support 11.4 GW of electricity. This is enough to power all the homes and manufacturing industries in Western Australia’s southwest region. The project is expected to create close to 7,000 jobs during construction and around 3,500 ongoing jobs.
Ideal area for offshore wind projects
The Bunbury region is one of 6 priority areas identified for offshore wind development in Australian waters. It is well suited for offshore wind due to:
- strong, consistent winds
- proximity to areas of high electricity demand
- proximity to existing connections to the grid
- coal-fired power stations in the region are scheduled to shut down in future years
- potential to support infrastructure via the Port of Bunbury.
Applications for feasibility licences are now open. Interested developers should visit the Offshore Information Registrar to apply. Applications will close on 6 November 2024.
Example of an offshore wind farm
Green winds of change
Offshore wind is expected to play a major role in helping Australia meet its net zero by 2050 target. According to the Australian Energy Market Operator, as much as 20 GW of wind generation capacity will be added by 2030.
In August 2022, the Australian Government proposed 6 regions for offshore renewable energy developments (such as offshore wind). Five of these regions have been declared offshore wind zones.
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