RWE has been granted a feasibility licence from the Australian Government for the development of an offshore wind farm close to the Kent Group islands in the Bass Strait, off the Gippsland coast in Victoria. This area is Australia’s first designated offshore wind zone.
This licence approval grants RWE an exclusive seven-year seabed right to develop the Kent Offshore Wind Farm project. The approval also allows RWE to apply for a commercial licence to build and operate the wind farm for up to 40 years.
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The lease area awarded to RWE has the potential to host a wind farm with up to 2GW of capacity, enough to power up to 1.6 million Australian homes with green electricity. The site is approximately 67km off the coast and has average water depths of 59m.
The wind farm is expected to become operational in the first half of the 2030s, subject to the timing of the planning and approvals process, secured offtake as well as grid connection.
RWE Offshore Wind CEO Sven Utermöhlen said, “Australia is a very attractive growth market for renewable energy. RWE has been active in the country for 10 years and operates one of Australia’s largest solar farms.
“By securing exclusive seabed rights in the Bass Strait off Gippsland, we are now entering the Australian offshore wind market and will bring our more than 20 years of experience in this field.
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“With the Kent project, we will work on developing one of the first offshore wind farms off the Australian coast. This is in line with our strategy to grow our renewables portfolio in Australia and the wider APAC region.”
The next step for RWE in the further development of this early-stage project is to carry out studies to help determine the project design and to submit applications for planning permission. RWE will also engage with key stakeholders, First Nations groups and other communities.
