Victorian offshore wind has some good news to celebrate with the approval progress for one of its biggest farms, Star of the South, continuing.
The project reported to be valued at almost $9 billion, Star of the South is celebrating four key milestones as it enters its next phase of development.
Firstly, the offshore wind project in Victoria has lodged its Environmental Impact Statement for approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act – the primary environmental approval needed for the project to proceed.
This follows seven years of “rigorous science and consultation” to “understand the local environment and how to protect it”, including an extensive marine survey program that draws on 26 technical studies scrutinising potential impacts of the project on environmental, cultural, social and economic values.
Confidence
“We’ve done the work, and then some, to ensure government and the community can have confidence that the project will be delivered responsibly,” Star of the South chief executive officer Charles Rattray said.
To complement this, Star of the South has secured 120 hectares of farmland for where its underground cables will come to shore and deliver electricity to the grid.
“Securing the shore-crossing site locks in a critical piece of the project’s infrastructure and reinforces our long-term commitment to Gippsland,” Rattray said.
“This is a huge step forward, recognising the positive relationships we’ve built with landholders over time, which we’ll continue to prioritise through the next steps of development.”
Road humps
The news follows AGL’s announcement last week it would not pursue another project off the Gippsland coast, called Gippsland Skies.
The ABC reported it as third third project to falter in development after RWE abandoned its plans to develop the 2GW Kent offshore wind farm and BlueFloat Energy’s decision in July to scrap the $10 billion Gippsland Dawn project.
Leading the way
But Star of the South, which is also on track to be Australia’s first offshore wind project appears undetterred, recently regaining Federal Government’s Major Project Status, meaning it will continue to receive support from the Major Projects Facilitation Agency for a further three years, such as assistance in navigating regulatory approvals.
“These milestones show that Australia’s offshore wind industry is no longer an idea on the horizon – it’s moving from concept to reality and Star of the South is leading the way,” Rattray said.
“We’re getting on with Australia’s first offshore wind project to power more than 1.2 million homes and deliver 10 per cent of the emission reductions needed to reach Australia’s 2035 climate target.
“No matter which way you look at it, any realistic scenario for a secure, reliable energy future has offshore wind in the mix.”
Pending the receipt of necessary approvals, the entrance of the 2.2GW Star of the South project is set to align with the closure of the Yallourn power station in 2028.
Star of the South’s achievements follow JERA Nex bp being awarded Major Project Status by the Federal Government in November.
This comes as others retreat, including AGL’s recent withdrawal of the Gippsland Skies project. BlueFloat Energy also abandoned its Gippsland Dawn floating offshore wind proposal this year, along with RWE and its Kent offshore wind project.
While some companies don’t see the upside of building a new industry in Australia, others are committed to future prosperity and the potential of playing a key role in a post-coal landscape in Victoria and beyond.
