The Albanese Government has officially declared a new offshore wind zone in the Southern Ocean off the coast of western Victoria.
This is the third such zone designated in Australia, paving the way for new renewable energy development and jobs in the region.
The zone covers 1030 square kilometres located 15-20km from shore. After consultations with local groups, the area was scaled back from the original proposal to avoid impacts on environmentally and culturally significant areas like the Bonney Upwelling and Deen Maar Island. Shipping routes were also excluded.
If fully developed, the zone could generate up to 2.9 gigawatts of offshore wind power – enough for over 2 million homes. This would provide a major new source of clean energy for the region, which includes the Portland aluminum smelter that accounts for 10 per cent of Victoria’s electricity demand.
According to the Federal Government, the new industry will bring new job opportunities to Portland and surrounds with 1740 jobs during construction and 870 ongoing operation jobs such as engineers, labourers, technicians, operators, riggers, divers, and administrators.
Federal Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen hailed the declaration as “a major step towards Australia’s clean energy future”.
“Australia has abundant renewable energy, the cheapest form of energy, and the government is committed to helping Australians benefit from these natural resources, including offshore wind,” Bowen said.
Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said it would help meet the state’s target of at least 2GW of offshore wind by 2032 and transition to net zero emissions by 2045.
“Victoria is leading the way in offshore wind,” she stated.
Applications for feasibility licenses in the new zone opened on March 6, with environmental assessments, consultations, and approvals required before any projects can proceed to construction.
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