The federal government has made a preliminary decision on feasibility licences for offshore wind projects off the coast of Hunter, New South Wales, with the Novocastrian Offshore Wind project shortlisted to move to the next stage of the feasibility process.
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Being jointly developed by Equinor and Oceanex, the Novocastrian Offshore Wind Farm will be located more than 20km off the Hunter coast. If approved, the proposed project could deliver 2GW of renewable electricity, power 1.2 million homes, and deliver between 200 and 300 ongoing jobs.
The Offshore Infrastructure Registrar received eight feasibility licence applications across the 1,854sq km zone.
The final decision on feasibility licences in the Hunter is subject to the outcomes of the consultation processes with licence applicants and First Nations groups.
The feasibility licence stage includes consultation with First Nations groups, stakeholders and the local community, and the preparation of environmental assessments and management plans.
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The news was welcomed by Surfers for Climate CEO Josh Kirkman, who said, “It’s great to see the Hunter region take another step forward in favour of cheaper, cleaner renewables, which will cut carbon pollution and help bring down energy bills as the region moves beyond coal.”
