VICTORIA has joined the Global Offshore Wind Alliance as its first sub-national member.
GOWA’s aim is to accelerated the deployment of offshore wind power generation. Its members include Australia, Belgium, Colombia, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, the UK and the US.
The alliance’s mission is to achieve a total global offshore wind capacity of at least 380 gigawatts by 2030, with 35 gigawatts on average each year across the 2020s and a minimum of 70 gigawatts each year from 2030.
Victorian minister for energy and resources Lily D’Ambrosio said: “Victoria’s successful application to join the Global Offshore Wind Alliance solidifies our abundant offshore wind resources as among the best internationally, with our ambitious targets attracting major investment, jobs and solidifying Victoria’s future as Australia’s offshore wind capital”.
Australia joined GOWA in November 2022. At the time, energy and climate change minister Chris Bowen said: “Australia is starting [its offshore wind] industry from scratch and we stand to benefit from combining efforts with the Global Offshore Wind Alliance to bolster the development of this industry”.
Victoria aims to produce at least 2 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2032, 4 gigawatts by 2035 and 9 gigawatts by 2040.
Last year, the Commonwealth government declared an area in Bass Strait off the Gippsland coast as Australia’s first offshore wind zone and is seeking feasibility licenses for potential developers.
The Victorian Budget for 2023-24 allocated $27 million to progress development on the Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal at the Port of Hastings.
The state government said the terminal would support wind construction delivery of up to 1 gigawatts per year, process turbines up to 18 megawatts and service multiple offshore wind developments concurrently.
