Offshore Energy Pty Ltd (OEPL) has been granted permission to investigate the wind resources off the coast of Australia in preparation for the country’s first offshore wind farm.
The Australian government has granted OEPL a license to undertake exploration in Commonwealth waters located 8-13 km off the coast of Gippsland, Victoria state.
The work will enable OEPL to assess wind resources and seabed conditions across the 574 km2 site, the first step in proposals to develop the Star of the South wind farm.
The license does not allow OEPL to develop or operate a wind farm.
Star of the South could consist of up to 250 wind turbines with a combined output of up to 2 GW. OEPL submitted a request for a permit to carry out a feasibility study for the wind farm in October 2017. In December 2017, it signed a partnership agreement with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) to jointly develop the wind farm.
