Australia Awards More Preliminary Feasibility Licenses for Offshore Wind

The Australian government reports it is continuing to push forward with efforts to spur development for offshore wind energy. In its latest step, it awarded two additional preliminary feasibility licenses, both going to groups backed by European majors, for what could become the first offshore wind farms in the Indian Ocean.

The move comes as some of the major European corporations have stalled their efforts in Australia or withdrawn. Last week, it was revealed that Equinor will not be accepting its feasibility license for a proposed project that would have involved floating wind turbines off the Hunter coast of New South Wales. The company reportedly could not reach an agreement with its local partner Oceanex, while last month it also withdrew from a project planned for the Bass Strait.

Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, called the new licenses being awarded another important step for the industry in Western Australia. He highlighted that “Western Australia needs some 50 GW of additional generation by 2042.”

The zone located south of Perth was declared in September 2024, with the government saying it could provide as much as 11.4 GW of renewable energy. The first of the licenses was awarded to Oceanex Energy, which is planning a project in the northern part of the zone, but awards for the southern portion of the zone were delayed while two developers could resolve an overlap between their plans.

One of the new licenses went to a group backed by France’s EFP Group. It is planning the Bunbury Offshore Wind South project. Ocean Winds, a partnership between Spain’s EDP Renewables and France’s ENGIE is also receiving a preliminary license for its Westward Wind project.

The preliminary licenses permit the companies to continue planning efforts. They are also required to meet with the indigenous people, which Australia calls “traditional owners.” The companies will later apply for the full feasibility permits.

A third project, called Wind With Purpose, is still pursuing discussions with a potential Tier 1 partner, it told ABC News Australia. The government deferred granting it a preliminary feasibility license.

Minister Bowen said in a statement, “Australia’s offshore wind industry is progressing, with feasibility licenses granted for projects targeting a total of 24.21 GW of renewable energy and preliminary offers for another 4 GW.” He told ABC News that there is more to come, referencing the ongoing efforts to push forward the offshore wind industry.