With our vast coastline and enviable wind resources, Australia has an opportunity to unlock a new element of the clean energy future, accelerating the transition to renewables and supporting the quest for net zero. We’re excited to be out in front, working to bring one of the very first Australian offshore wind projects to life.
Three Victorian offshore wind projects will be funded to the tune of almost $40 million through Victoria’s Energy Innovation Fund. In addition, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews recently announced an exciting vision for the future of renewable energy in the state by setting offshore wind generation targets: 2 GW of offshore wind generation installed by 2032, 4 GW by 2035 and 9 GW by 2040.
These targets and funding are a first in Australia and aim to open new pathways for offshore wind to become a viable, attractive proposition off the Victorian coast.
The offshore wind industry is also receiving strong support at the Federal level. The Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Bill 2021 passed through parliament in November 2021. The legislative framework is designed to facilitate and regulate the development of electricity infrastructure, such as offshore wind farms, in Commonwealth waters.
Tara Kennedy, WSP’s Earth & Environment Energy Sector Lead, says offshore wind is a logical next step for the renewable energy revolution in Australian, given the excellent wind resources offshore, and the constraints facing new wind and solar developments on land.
“If you look at the UK, you can see how successful offshore wind can be. It’s a well-established industry now, generating more than 10% of the UK’s electricity, and costs for new offshore developments are falling rapidly,” said Tara.
“While offshore wind is new to Australia, it’s certainly a rapidly maturing technology around the globe.”
Offshore wind would complement other renewable energy technologies, with potential to provide greater diversity and resilience in the National Energy Market. Because the wind patterns offshore don’t always correlate with those onshore, and offshore developments often have high-capacity factors, there’s an opportunity to increase reliability by smoothing out the intermittent patterns of other forms of renewable energy generation.
Spotlight on Star of the South
One of the three Victorian offshore wind projects to be funded through Victoria’s Energy Innovation Fund is the proposed Star of the South wind farm.
Star of the South will be located off the coast of Gippsland, Victoria with up to 200 turbines out at sea, catching the ‘Roaring 40s’ winds of Bass Strait, and will send its output via the Latrobe Valley into the National Energy Market.
WSP is providing Owner’s Engineering support for the onshore transmission and grid connection aspects of this flagship project.
“Star of the South is the most advanced offshore wind generation project in Australia, with early development activities and feasibility studies well underway,” said Ravi Kaskana, WSP’s Engineering Manager and Project Manager for Star of the South.
“The project has made an early commitment to use underground cable for most of the onshore transmission route, approximately 75km, which is technically more challenging than installing an overhead line. We have responded well to this challenge by developing a robust cable system design that incorporates a range of technical and stakeholder requirements early in the design phase”.
Grid connection remains a major challenge for many developers connecting renewable generation into the National Electricity Market. The studies required to achieve the AEMO connection and registration are numerous and complex and are commonly on the project critical path.
WSP is well placed to respond to the potential grid connection challenges for Star of the South. Our team has a track record of navigating the complexities of access standards, and experience in undertaking the complex PSS/E and PSCAD studies required to secure connection agreements under the National Electricity Rules.
William Ryan, a Senior Renewable Energy Engineer at WSP and Onshore Transmission Package Manager at Star of the South, said, “It’s tremendously exciting to be working together on this project at the forefront of change in a rapidly transforming national energy market and global shift to renewables.
“WSP is supporting the Star of the South with multi-disciplined, integrated engineering and project management services from across our business. To deliver a project of this nature and scale, our team needs to bring a bring a well-considered, flexible and innovative approach that aligns with WSP’s Future Ready initiative.
“Being involved in a defining, nation-leading project such as this really is the epitome of being Future ReadyTM – working through many interesting challenges and understanding impacts now and into the future for all facets of the project lifecycle.
“We’re proud to be supporting the emergence of a new industry for Australia that can create employment and economic opportunities for local communities and build a more sustainable energy future for generations to come.”
Many opportunities ahead for offshore wind
According to the Victorian Government, achieving net zero will demand more than 15 times of today’s installed renewable capacity, so offshore wind is likely to play an even greater role in the clean energy mix as thermal coal plants progressively exit the market.
According to the government, studies have indicated that offshore wind has the potential to deliver 5 times the state’s current onshore renewable energy generation by 2050.
Tara Kennedy applauds the scale of the Victorian Government’s ambition.
“The targets and funding announced by the Victorian Government demonstrate a bold vision not only for the state, but also for the role of renewables in the quest for net zero,” she said.
“Ramping up the offshore wind industry in Victoria will build confidence in this new frontier for Australian clean energy – and with that confidence comes investment, economies of scale, efficiencies, skill development, and new opportunities to make good use of old infrastructure and redeploy skilled workers as the shape of the energy sector changes.”
Tara and the renewable energy specialists at WSP are excited to support clients in such a dynamic and rapidly developing sector.
“Offshore wind is definitely an area of future growth in Australia, and we’re really looking forward to working with our clients to navigate the complex and changing energy landscape at the cutting edge of the energy transition,” Concludes Tara.
