The Australian Government has granted a feasibility licence for Ørsted’s first offshore wind project in Australia and intends to grant a licence for a second project, subject to consultation. With the licences, Ørsted has exclusivity to develop large-scale offshore wind farms off the coast of Gippsland, Victoria, to be operational in the early 2030s. Ørsted’s far-shore project sites are located 56-100 km off the Australian coast. They are situated beyond the visible eyeline from the shore and benefit from excellent wind conditions. The next steps for the projects include site investigations, environmental assessments, and supply chain development. The Danish offshore wind developer said that it also bid in future auctions run by the Victorian Government, supporting the state’s target of 9GW offshore wind by 2040. The first auction is expected to start in late 2025. According to the company, the cluster has the potential to generate a combined 4.8GW of renewable energy, split into 2.8 GW for licence area 1 and 2 GW for licence area 2, which can eventually power the equivalent of 4m Australian homes. “We believe that we’ve secured the best possible sites and that our proposed projects in Victoria will deliver reliable, cost-effective renewable energy. We’re confident that Australia has all the ingredients to become a thriving and highly investable offshore wind market,” said Per Mejnert Kristensen, SVP and CEO of the APAC region at Ørsted. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1_95_0_1_2'); }); TagsAustralia Denmark Offshore Wind