Australia’s federal government today officially declared a new zone for offshore wind development in the Bass Strait, in northern Tasmania, which offers the potential for hosting up to 20 GW of turbine capacity.
Bass Strait is the sixth area deemed suitable for offshore wind development in Australia. It is located 30 km off Tasmania’s northern coast and covers 7,100 sq km, around 30% smaller than the original proposal, stretching off Burnie in the west to Bridport in the east.
As compared to the initial plan, the zone was pushed further out from the shore to take into account feedback from local leaders, industry, fishers, unions, First Nations people and community groups. The government said 270 submissions were received during the three-month public consultation.
Developers can apply for feasibility licences for projects within the zone until March 12, 2025.
“Tasmania is already an energy powerhouse – running on 100 percent renewables – but the power of offshore wind could see the state produce and export even more clean and reliable energy,” said Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen and added that the Bass Strait has “truly world-class wind resources.”
The Bass Strait zone was declared a week after Australia’s Liberal opposition leader Peter Dutton threatened to “rescind” a declared offshore wind zone in the Hunter region of New South Wales if a coalition government is elected next year. Apart from Hunter, the country has four more offshore zones – the Gippsland and Southern Ocean in Victoria and off Bunbury and Illawarra in New South Wales.
