An Elanora Offshore-led consortium has stated plans to build a 5GW offshore wind project in Australia.
The consortium, led by Elanora Offshore, consists of EnergyAustralia, Respect Energy, Polpo Investments, KIMAenergy, and Boskalis. It said that it already has funding commitments in place for the project.
The offshore wind farm, set to be built off the coast of Victoria’s Gippsland region, would create over 3,000 jobs during the construction phase and 320 jobs during operations.
Upon receiving a Feasibility Licence and other necessary approvals, the first phase of the Elanora Offshore project expects to be operational by 2032 while the second phase will be completed by the end of 2034.
When operational, the project will provide enough clean energy to meet up to 40% of Victoria’s energy needs and offset over 600m tons of carbon emissions over the life of the project.
“Our aim is to implement world-leading, sustainable offshore wind technology with agility. We want to be part of a just transition – delivering benefits for local communities and minimising environmental impact,” Elanora Offshore CEO Maya Malik said.
It is worth noting that EnergyAustralia operates the Yallourn coal power station that provides one-fifth of Victoria’s power and accounts for 8% of Australia’s national electricity market. The power station will be closed in 2028. With over 1.5m customers, EnergyAustralia’s future offtake agreement with Elanora Offshore would underpin the commercial viability of the project.
Gippsland waters hold Australia’s first declared offshore wind zone and will be a host for several large projects set to replace ageing coal-fired power stations.
