Resources

Gippsland Skies is jointly owned by a consortium of Australian and international companies comprising; Mainstream Renewable Power, Reventus Power Limited, AGL Energy and DIRECT Infrastructure.

The development of offshore wind-projects is a long-term process. Following feasibility licence award, the project will need to complete multi-year marine surveys to get a good picture of the offshore environment.

It will then undertake State and Federal Government environmental assessments and approvals process to assess the social and environmental effects of the project.

If the project is approved, we'll then apply for a commercial licence before we can progress to construction and operations.

You can read more about the offshore wind development timeline here - https://www.dcceew.gov.au/energy/renewable/offshore-wind

Gippsland Skies was awarded a feasibility licence by the Commonwealth Government in April 2024.

The award of the feasibility licence marks the first step in the process to begin detailed studies and enables us to commence multi-year offshore surveys.

These surveys are critical to help refine the Project design whilst considering both environmental and technical constraints.

Before studies commence, we'll seek State and federal approvals to undertake the surveys.

The Commonwealth Government determined areas in Bass Strait near Gippsland as suitable for offshore wind development.

Through the Feasibility Licence process, the consortium applied to develop an offshore wind farm in the northern section of the Declared Area OEI-01-2022 Part 3 around 30km south of Waratah Bay.

To inform our decision, we sought input from specialist consultants to understand potential environmental sensitivities and site constraints.

The Victorian Government (VicGrid) is leading a coordinated approach to transmission infrastructure development for offshore wind generation in Gippsland and connection points for offshore wind generators.

The offshore cable route will be informed by these connection points.

Please visit this link:

https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/renewable-energy/renewable-energy-zones

Depending on the progress of surveys and planning and assessment activities, the pre-construction activities could commence in 2029/early 2030’s.

Wind turbines have a design life of up to approximately 30–40 years. Continuing developments in offshore wind technology are expected to extend the life of wind turbines at sea.

At the end of a project life, an offshore wind farm could be decommissioned, with all infrastructure completely removed.

Or the project could be repowered, where older components are replaced with newer technology, and the lifecycle continues.

Offshore wind turbine technology is changing rapidly. Offshore wind farms currently use 12 MW Wind Turbine Generators (WTG) around 260 m tall. To allow for future technology developments, we're planning for 14 MW WTG up to 300m tall.

We'll plan for maximum wind turbine size to assess the potential impacts of the project if developed to the greatest capacity. Final WTG size will depend on available technology at that point of procurement.

We want to make sure we get consultation right from the beginning and will use a number of channels to provide regular updates about the project and seek feedback. There will be a number of opportunities for public engagement including in relation to:

— Environmental surveys

— Onshore and offshore works

— Community benefit opportunities

We will employ a Fishing Liaison Officer (FLO) to engage with commercial and recreational fishers during Project development and planning. to understand local concerns and interests in the study area.

The FLO will also provide information and notice to Mariners where surveys are planned to minimise impacts where possible.

We are ready to work closely with other developers in the region, to ensure projects are developed in a coordinated and planned way.

While some information is commercially sensitive to individual proponents, we want to ensure communities receive consistent experiences throughout offshore wind development.