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GeelongPort, located on the shores of Corio Bay at Geelong, Victoria, Australia,
has released plans to develop up to 25 hectares of land for a wind farm
hub to support Victoria’s growing renewables industry.
Located at Oyster Cove near GeelongPort’s Lascelles Wharf, the precinct
will provide facilities for the berthing, laydown and construction of equipment
for onshore and offshore wind farm projects.
GeelongPort supports more than $7 billion of trade annually. It is Located
in Corio Bay, Victoria, GeelongPort around 75 kilometres by road southwest
of Melbourne and comprises 15 berths across two primary precincts, Corio
Quay and Lascelles. Since 2018, GeelongPort has facilitated the berthing
and laydown of more than two million tonnes of onshore wind farm cargo.
Pending approvals, the 25-hectare precinct will incorporate the purpose-built
facilities required of a wind farm construction feeder port in an effort
to meet the needs of offshore wind developments. It aims to support the
construction, operation and maintenance of wind farm projects as well as
laydown and storage facilities.
GeelongPort CEO Brett Winter said: “GeelongPort is committed to supporting
the establishment and growth of this emerging industry.”
“The strategic location of our port means that we can play a key leadership
role in the transition towards renewable energy sources.”
Back in March 2022 the Victorian Government and the Department of Environment,
Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) released the Victorian Offshore Wind Policy
Directions Paper to outline the state’s vision for offshore wind.
The Victorian Government has committed to a 2032 offshore wind target for
Victoria of at least 2GW, aiming for first power to come progressively
online from 2028. It also set further targets of 4 GW for 2035 and 9 GW
for 2040.
According to the Victorian government, studies show the state has the potential
to support 13 GW of capacity from coastal regions by 2050 – five times
the state’s current renewable energy generation. In November last year,
Victoria pledged approximately $40 million under the Energy Innovation
Fund to fund feasibility studies and pre-construction development for three
major offshore wind proposals:
of the South,
Macquarie
Group and
Flotation
Energy. Together,
those three projects are expected to generate 4.7 GW of new capacity.
For more information on offshore wind
farms worldwide, click
here.