The Victorian Government has released the Victorian Offshore Wind Policy Directions Paper that outlines Victoria’s vision for offshore wind, paving the way for Victoria to host the first offshore wind farms in Australia. The plan includes procuring an initial offshore wind tranche of at least 2 GW, aiming for first power to come online in approx. 2028, with targets of 4 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2035 and 9 GW by 2040.
Offshore wind power is a viable source of renewable energy that is commercially operated at large scale in Europe and is rapidly expanding globally. It is expected to be a vital part of Victoria’s clean energy transition.
Victoria has a legislated commitment to reduce emissions by 28-33 per cent by 2025, 45-50 per cent by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050.
To commence the development plans, the Victorian Government is planning a consultation process to ensure the industry and the community have their say on the Policy Directions paper. It is expected consultation will commence in April 2022.
