Offshore wind farms in Australia are making a significant push towards renewable energy. Offshore wind energy is a great asset to this, where a single turbine can provide enough power for 10,000 Australian households for a year. The government has designated six initial offshore wind energy zones, spanning regions like the Gippsland Coast, Bass Strait, Illawarra, Hunter, Perth, and South West, signaling a strategic move towards becoming a significant player in the global offshore wind industry.

“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,” - Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy.

The Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act passed in 2022 was a milestone in offshore wind farm power projects in Australia. Bass Strait off Gippsland became Australia's first declared offshore wind zone in December 2022, with the potential for over 10 GW of energy generation. Now, Australia has more than 12 projects in the planning and construction.

The upcoming offshore wind farm power projects in Australia give an uplift to the clean energy goals of the country. In this blog, we explore these upcoming offshore projects in detail.

Top Five Upcoming Offshore Wind Farm Power Projects

The potential of Australian offshore wind farm capacity is 5000 GW according to the Global Wind Energy Council. These upcoming projects are first of many, let's explore them in detail.

Newcastle Offshore Wind Power Plant

Newcastle Offshore Wind project comes with floating offshore wind turbine technology. It is located off the coast of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. The project would utilize 15-20 wind turbines situated within the Hunter Central-Coast Renewable Energy Zone. Also, it aims to provide clean energy for 5.5 million Australian homes annually.

The Newcastle Offshore Wind project is developed by EDF Renewables Australia, a subsidiary of the global energy company Electricite de France SA. It is developed in multiple phases, with construction commencing around 2025 and commercial operation targeted for 2029. Currently, the project is in the planning stage.

This project is estimated to cost USD 15000 million. The final capacity is yet to be determined and awaits the results of a Scoping Study, estimates suggest it could reach 10 GW of wind generation capacity.

Find Offshore Wind Project and Tender Leads in AustraliaClaim Your Free Leads!

Elanora Offshore Wind Power Plant

The Elanora Offshore Project is one of the largest offshore wind power plants located in Victoria's Bass Strait off Gippsland. The project is anticipated to begin in 2030 and will have a capacity of 5 GW. The commercial operation of the project will start in 2032.

The Elanora project is developed in two stages by EnergyAustralia, KIMAenergy, Boskalis, Respect Energy, and Polpo Investments, each phase with a capacity of 2.5 GW. It will generate enough renewable energy to meet up to 40% of Victoria's current-day energy requirements and create more than 3000 job opportunities.

The project has the potential to offset 600 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions over its lifetime, aligning with the state's clean energy strategy. The project is currently in the announced stage having an estimated project cost of USD 8000 million.

Samphire Offshore Wind Power Plant

Samphire Offshore Wind is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Copenhagen Energy, a Danish renewable energy developer. The project aims to develop, construct, operate, and decommission the offshore wind farm within Commonwealth waters 60 km to 120 km north of Perth between Two Rocks and Lancelin. 

The project is expected to commence operation in early 2030 and has an estimated operation time of 2080. The production capacity of the project is 3 GW featuring 200 turbines connected to land via subsea cables. Also, the project will balance 6 million metric tons of CO2 per year.

The consultation process began in February 2024 with approvals pending for the project. Copenhagen Energy is already involved in the region with their four planned wind farms, following proposals for Leeuwin and Midwest wind farms, and ahead of a proposal for Velella. The project cost is estimated to be USD 8000 million upon completion.

Midwest Offshore Wind Power Plant

Midwest Offshore Wind Power Plant is located in the wind energy zone 15 km to 70 km off Western Australia, spanning north and south of Kalbarri in the Indian Ocean. Copenhagen Energy will develop the offshore wind power plant with 3 GW capacity 200 turbines and 6 substations. Each turbine will have a 15 MW nameplate capacity and supply enough clean energy to power 3 million Australian households.

The offshore wind farm is expected to commence by 2028 and start commercial operation by 2030. The wind farm will have an operational lifespan of 50 years, supporting Australia's greenhouse gas reduction goals and the state's commitment to net zero emissions by 2050. Also, the project is estimated to offset up to 6 million metric tons of CO2 annually.

The project is currently in concept or early planning stage with a USD 8000 million project cost. Also, it will create 14,500 direct and indirect jobs during construction and 200 permanent jobs during operation for each 1 GW of power generation.

Leeuwin Offshore Wind Power Plant

The Leeuwin offshore wind power plant will be developed by Leeuwin Offshore Wind Pty Ltd owned subsidiary of Copenhagen Energy. The offshore wind farm is located 30 km south of Perth between Mandurah and Bunbury, within Commonwealth Waters. It will produce 3 GW capacity annually and will feature up to 200 turbines and six substations, connected to a land-based transmission station in the Shire of Harvey.

The project is currently in the early development stage and will have an operational lifespan of 50 years. The design process is undergoing technical and commercial viability, as well as environmental and social impacts. This project will help Australia’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 43 percent by 2030 and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The project is estimated to cost USD 8000 million and create more than 5000 job opportunities during the construction phase. Also, it will help to reduce the greenhouse gas emission by 8 million tons every year.

Looking for Australia Wind Power Market Outlook?     Download Free Sample Now!

Future of Offshore Wind Australia

Australia has set a target of net zero emissions by 2050. Australia has potential offshore wind opportunities to provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy, but the industry is in the developing stage. Australia’s onshore wind capacity is in steady movement having a potential capacity of 3000 GW. The Australian government is optimistic about implementing the same success formula in offshore wind power projects. 

According to figures provided by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), coal accounted for about 60% of the nation's energy generation in the previous year, while solar, hydro and onshore wind collectively constituted approximately 30%. But Australia is making an effort to generate its 82% of power from renewable sources by 2030. Also, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged to make the country a global power in renewable energy.

Australia with many coal plants in retirement stage, the energy transition has to triple the energy market's supply capacity now. The Greater Gippsland area was the first declared area with a Feasibility Licence. Since then, the Hunter Region in NSW has been declared, and the Southern Ocean and Illawarra areas are out for public consultation. 

A notice of proposal to declare the Perth/Bunbury area is expected to begin the public consultation process. Developers have identified sites suitable for offshore wind development from Bunbury to the Midwest (Kalbarri) and Northern Tasmania. Also, the Kingston Offshore Wind Farm project became the first offshore wind project in South Australia.

Here are some other upcoming offshore wind projects in Australia you can keep track of:

1. Eden Offshore Wind Project
2. Bunbury Offshore Wind Project
3. illawarra Offshore Wind Project
4. Great Eastern Offshore Wind Project
5. Seadragon Offshore Wind Project

Conclusion

Australia is in a transformation phase regarding renewable energy with a focus on offshore wind farms. The country is focusing on several upcoming offshore wind farm projects in the planning and development stages, with the potential to generate a substantial amount of clean energy. These projects, such as the Newcastle, Elanora, Samphire, Midwest, and Leeuwin offshore wind power plants are aiming to contribute to Australia's clean energy goals. It will create job opportunities, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The government's commitment to utilizing offshore wind and framing regulatory framework according to this demonstrates a strong push towards offshore wind industry.

Find the Latest  Offshore Wind Power Plant Projects in Australia with Ease

Are you looking for a platform that gives you reliable, high-quality, and timely project insights for Wind Farm Projects in Australia?

Discover the Global Project Tracking (GPT) platform by Blackridge Research, designed to provide you with the most recent Australia Offshore Wind Power Projects and Tenders better and faster across various stages of development:

• Upcoming projects
• Tender Notices
• Contract award announcements
• Projects in progress or under construction
• Successfully completed projects.

The user-friendly interface helps you obtain early-stage awareness of projects and find the right business opportunity quickly.

Each project will have all the essential details, such as scope, capacity, CapEx, status, project description, companies involved, funding information, location, periodic updates, important event dates like construction start date, commissioning dates, and key contact information of project owners and stakeholders.

The database is a vital resource for a wide range of entities, including developers, EPC companies, project owners, wind turbine suppliers, Operation and Maintenance (O&M) companies, data analytics and software providers, consulting and advisory firms, power utilities, investors and financial institutions lending to projects as well as refinancing existing projects, research and development organizations, companies looking for acquisition of wind power plants, government and regulatory bodies, and law firms.

Book a Free demo to learn more about the Australia offshore wind farm projects database and how we can help you achieve your goals.