Three proposed offshore wind projects in Western Australia (WA) have been awarded final feasibility licences, bringing forward the emerging offshore wind sector of WA and broader clean energy transition of Australia.
Together, the projects could deliver up to 4 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy, enough to power as many as 2.9 million households, while supporting thousands of construction jobs and long-term employment across ports, local supply chains and regional communities.
The projects include the Westward Wind project and two Bunbury Offshore Wind Farm projects, covering almost 732 square kilometres in WA’s Geographe Bay. These projects are located more than 30 kilometres offshore, positioning them to harness strong and consistent wind resources while minimising visual and environmental impacts close to shore.
“This is a positive and practical step forward for offshore wind in Australia and provides greater certainty for industry, communities and governments,” said Morgan Rossiter, General Manager – Offshore Wind at Clean Energy Council (CEC).
“These projects demonstrate the scale of opportunity offshore wind presents, with the potential to deliver up to 4 gigawatts of clean, reliable energy while supporting thousands of jobs across construction, ports, manufacturing and long-term operations.”
Ms Rossiter also shared that offshore wind is well suited to support Australia’s energy transition, particularly as coal-fired generation retires and electricity demand continues to grow.
“Offshore wind has been successfully deployed for more than 30 years across around 20 countries and is currently being developed in many more,” she said.
“It can provide large-scale, reliable power to help replace retiring coal generation and support a stable and secure electricity system.”
The CEC has also welcomed the opening of applications for offshore wind research licences across Australia’s six declared offshore wind zones. These licences are expected to play a key role in building local capability, supporting skills development and positioning Australia as a hub for offshore wind technology and innovation.
For more information on how offshore wind benefits everyday Australians, visit the CEC website.