New offshore wind energy zone declared off Western Australia
The Australian government has designated a new offshore wind zone off the coast of Bunbury in Western Australia. Following extensive consultation with local leaders, industry, fishers, unions, First Nations people and community groups, the Bunbury offshore wind zone has been amended.
The selected zone will now be at least 30 kilometres from shore at its closest point, excludes more than 60 per cent of the recreational fishing areas requested for exclusion including Naturaliste Reef, and provides further separation from breeding areas and migratory paths for Southern Right Whales.
The final area covers 4,000 square kilometres, reducing the zone by about half.
Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, said the Bunbury offshore wind industry has the potential to support 11.4 GW of electricity, which would be enough to power all homes and manufacturing industries in the South West.
The minister also expects recreational fishers will be able to travel and fish within the offshore wind zone, which already occurs internationally in the United Kingdom and Denmark. In those jurisdictions, turbines are around two kilometres apart with an exclusion zone of just 50 metres around turbines, which means fishing vessels can go about their normal operations within a wind farm.
The application period for feasibility licences in the declared Bunbury offshore wind zone opens on Tuesday, September 3, and closes on November 6, 2024. Licences will only be awarded to developers whose proposed projects do the most to incorporate Australian materials and manufacturing, consult with local industry, protect the environment, share the marine space, and provide benefits to workers, businesses and communities.
Construction can only begin after the feasibility stage is completed and developers have gained subsequent environmental and management plan approvals.
The declared area can be found at the Indian Ocean off the Bunbury region, Western Australia proposed offshore wind area – DCCEEW.
