3.2 GW Offshore Wind Projects Secure Feasibility Licences in Australia

March 3, 2025, by Adnan Memija

The Australian government has awarded feasibility licences for two offshore wind projects planned to provide a total of 3.2 GW of capacity off the coasts of New South Wales and Victoria.

The licences were granted for a proposed offshore wind farm in the Southern Ocean region, off Victoria’s Southwest coast, and for a project in the Pacific Ocean off the Hunter, New South Wales.

The wind farm in the Hunter zone is being developed by Novocastrian Wind, owned by Equinor and Oceanex Energy, while the Spinifex offshore wind project in the Southern Ocean region is being co-developed by Parkwind, which is part of JERA Nex, and Alinta Energy.

The feasibility licences allow the project developers to move ahead with feasibility assessments. This stage could last for up to seven years, according to the government.

It includes consultation with stakeholders, including local community and First Nations groups; consultation with marine users, including local fisheries; seeking environmental approvals; and developing a management plan for the project.

The Novocastrian offshore wind farm is planned to cover a 500-square-kilometre area and is expected to have up to 2.1 GW of installed capacity. The area is located 22 kilometres to 52 kilometers off the Hunter coast.

If built, the proposed wind farm could power more than a million homes and maximise the use of local businesses, manufacturers, and workers, according to the government.

Equinor, Oceanex Energy Secure Feasibility Licence for Wind Project Offshore Australia

Fixed-Bottom

When it comes to Spinifex, the 1.2 GW offshore wind farm is planned to cover 265 square kilometres area off Victoria’s Southwest coast. The project is expected to generate enough renewable energy to power approximately 650,000 Victorian homes each year.

“We’ve done a lot of work on the project over almost four years, so it’s great that the project has moved quickly from zone declaration to a feasibility licence being offered. We thank the government for the prompt decision. It puts us in a good position to complete our upcoming seasonal surveys and keep progressing the project,” said Jeff Dimery, Alinta Energy MD and CEO.

“We welcome this decision by the government and look forward to bringing our global expertise and scale into this joint venture, while remaining focused on consulting and working closely with the local community, various levels of government and other key stakeholders to ensure the shared success of this project,” stated Nathalie Oosterlinck, CEO of JERA Nex.

Parkwind and Alinta Secure Feasibility Licence for Wind Farm Project Offshore Australia

Planning & Permitting

The Clean Energy Council welcomed the announcement made by the Australian government and said that these projects could provide enough renewable energy to supply over two million homes or meet half of the industrial energy demand in Victoria and New South Wales.

“These additional two licences bring the total awarded capacity across the Gippsland, Hunter and Southern Ocean offshore wind areas to over 28 GW, with the most progressed projects on track to deliver clean offshore electricity into our grid by the early 2030s,” added the Clean Energy Council.

“This also stands to boost the economy by up to $9.5 billion over the next 30 years, attracting a projected total of $100 billion in capital investment to Australia.”

In terms of other recent news coming from Australia, the country’s Offshore Infrastructure Regulator (OIR) approved the feasibility stage management plan for the Blue Mackerel offshore wind farm, being developed by Parkwind.