The Port of Newcastle has revealed its intention to become an offshore wind hub and to service floating wind turbine projects in the Hunter offshore wind zone.
The Australian port is owned by Macquarie’s Infrastructure Fund and China Merchants Port Holdings Company. It is located adjacent to the 1,854 sq km Hunter offshore wind zone.
It has the potential to generate up to 5 GW of renewable wind energy, enough to power an estimated 4.2m homes. The development of the area will utilise floating offshore wind technology.
Port of Newcastle said that, due to its deep draft navigation channel, available development area, and absence of bridge infrastructure, it was a “prime candidate” for supporting floating wind deployment.
The port commissioned a study to identify the quantity and size of required port facilities to meet the needs of the Hunter offshore wind area.
The study of one of the world’s biggest coal ports indicated that it has the physical characteristics to support the floating wind industry in New South Wales and the wider Australasia region for several functions including, marshalling, assembly, staging and operations, and maintenance.
To service all stages of floating wind development, the Port of Newcastle could service the industry via multiple sites across the Port.
“This strategic development has the potential to not only establish the port as a central hub for floating wind projects in the Australasia region but also to attract original equipment manufacturers for both floating and fixed-bottom wind developments,” the port explained.
This is reinforced by the port’s proximity to designated and prospective wind development zones in New South Wales, New Zealand, and Victoria while the Bass Strait only a two-day ocean transit.
