4C Offshore Empowering Intelligence

Site investigations underway for 2 GW Aussie project

4C Offshore | Tom Russell
By: Tom Russell 06/03/2020 Star of the South

Site investigations are underway at the
Star of the South Project, Australia’s first proposed offshore wind project – located off the south coast of Gippsland near Port Albert. Investigations include a bathymetric and geophysical site survey to inform the project’s feasibility.

Survey activities will comprise geophysical data acquisition using a side scan sonar, single and multi-beam echo-sounders, sub bottom profiler, magnetometer / gradiometer (to identify magnetic objects) and underwater video. This equipment will either be towed from the stern of the MV Silver Star or in the case of the echo-sounders be mounted on the vessel.

Star of the South is currently the most advanced Australian offshore wind project. It is being developed by Australian headquartered Offshore Energy and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners. It is located 10-25 km off the south coast of Gippsland, Victoris and could consist of up to 250 turbines with an overall capacity exceeding 2 GW.

The developers claim that the array has the potential to generate up to 20 per cent of Victoria’s electricity needs and would feed power into the national grid via an underground cable to the Latrobe Valley. If the project is found to be feasible, and subject to government approval, construction could commence in 2022, with power generation in 2024. It represents a potential AU$8bn (€5bn) investment.

Approval for an exploration licence was granted in March 2019. The latest surveys are part of investigations which will likely take place over several years and inform the project’s feasibility and early planning phases.

For more information on offshore wind farm developments worldwide,
click here. Alternatively you can view projects worldwide on 4C Offshore's interactive map.

Premium

ForeSEE Premium, our most popular subscription, gives you full access to use the ForeSEE WebApp which includes exclusive offshore wind, transmission and vessel reports, news and downloads.

Request a 30 minute Demo

Trending News!