RWE secures first offshore wind site in Australia with capacity of up to 2 GW – Energy Global

RWE has been granted a feasibility licence from the Australian government for the development of an offshore wind farm close to the Kent Group islands in the Bass Strait, off the Gippsland coast in the state of Victoria. This area is Australias first designated offshore wind zone.

This licence approval grants RWE, a key global player in renewable energy, an exclusive seven-year seabed right to develop the Kent offshore wind farm project. The approval also allows RWE to apply for a commercial licence to build and operate the wind farm for up to 40 years.

The lease area awarded to RWE has the potential to host a wind farm with up to 2 GW of capacity, enough to power up to 1.6 million Australian homes with green electricity. The site is about 67 km off the coast and has average water depths of 59 m. The wind farm is expected to become operational in the first half of the 2030s, subject to the timing of the planning and approvals process, secured offtake, as well as grid connection.

Sven Utermhlen, CEO of RWE Offshore Wind, said: Australia is a very attractive growth market for renewable energy. RWE has been active in the country for 10 years and operates one of Australias largest solar farms. By securing exclusive seabed rights in the Bass Strait off Gippsland, we are now entering the Australian offshore wind market and will bring our more than 20 years of experience in this field. With the Kent project, we will work on developing one of the first offshore wind farms off the Australian coast. This is in line with our strategy to grow our renewables portfolio in Australia and the wider APAC region.

The next step for RWE in the further development of this early-stage project is to carry out studies to help determine the project design and to submit applications for planning permission. RWE will also engage with key stakeholders, First Nations groups and other communities. Another key milestone in the projects development at a later stage is to secure an offtake agreement.

The Summer 2024 issue of Energy Global starts with a guest comment from Terrawatt on the streamlining of the permitting process in Italy, before moving on to a regional report from Frost & Sullivan on the energy landscape in Asia Pacific. This issue looks at key topics such as wind installation vessels, offshore wind turbine foundations, weather analysis, solar maintenance, and more!

Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/wind/17072024/rwe-secures-first-offshore-wind-site-in-australia-with-capacity-of-up-to-2-gw/

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RWE secures first offshore wind site in Australia with capacity of up to 2 GW - Energy Global