The Southern Ocean off Portland has been nominated as Victoria’s second offshore wind declared area, according to the Victorian Government.
Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio joined Federal Minister for Energy Chris Bowen in the region today to launch a 60-day public engagement process before the Australian Government decides.
“We welcome the addition of a second offshore wind zone in Victoria and want to ensure Portland and surrounding communities can harness the benefits of our renewable energy transition,” Minister D’Ambrosio said.
“Victoria is blessed with rich renewable sources, including our windy coastlines, this will help us achieve our renewable energy target of 95 per cent by 2035,” Minister D’Ambrosio added.
The State Government has set ambitious goals for offshore wind capacity of at least 2 gigawatts (GW) by 2032, 4GW by 2035, and 9GW by 2040. The sector is predicted to produce over 6,000 jobs and billions of dollars in investment.
Offshore Wind Energy Victoria (OWEV) will continue collaborating with local Traditional Owners to discuss the prospective zone and ensure future offshore wind development in the area is done in genuine cooperation.
OWEV will support the Portland community throughout the consultation process, ensuring that it is informed and has every chance to participate in and influence the final declared area’s location.
The recently announced Victorian Transmission Investment Framework will guarantee that environmental, land-use, cultural, and social factors are considered early in the process to inform the locations of new transmission projects across the state, including the new transmission required to connect offshore wind farms to Victoria’s grid.
VicGrid is now conducting extensive community consultation in Gippsland, Victoria’s first designated offshore wind energy zone and the Portland region will follow suit.
The State Government said a declared area allows companies to apply for licences to explore the possibility of launching a project inside its boundaries. Any proposed developments will be subjected to stringent Environmental Effects Statement processes.
“This is an exciting day for western Victoria as we undergo a once in a generation energy transition – and we’ll be making sure the local community continues to be at the heart of process as consultation unfolds,” Member for Western Victoria Jacinta Ermacora stated.
