EDF Renewables has emerged as the latest major player vying for a piece of the proposed Hunter-Central Coast Offshore Wind Project.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The Australian subsidiary of the French-based energy giant EDF announced on Wednesday that it had acquired the Newcastle Offshore Wind Farm for an undisclosed sum.
The local consortium had been working on plans for a Hunter offshore wind project for about 10 years.
The federal government is due to announce the start of consultation for the Hunter-Central Coast Offshore Wind Project in coming weeks.
At least eight consortia have expressed interest in the construction and operation of the project to date.
They include a partnership of Norwegian energy company Equinor and Oceanex, which has proposed to build the Novocastrian Wind Farm. The $10 billion project would include about 130 turbines located 30 kilometres off the coast.
EDF Renewables, which entered the Australian market in 2021, has primarily been investing in long duration storage projects such as pumped hydro and batteries. It is also developing a portfolio of large-scale solar projects in the Hunter and New England regions as part of the State Government's Renewable Energy Zone projects.
EDF Renewables chief executive Dave Johnson said the Hunter Offshore Wind Project was well positioned to provide new opportunities for employment and the establishment of new businesses in the region.
"We are really excited about the opportunity in this project. It's a great region with a lot of potential and a big industrial workforce," he said.
"I think it will go a long way to replacing a lot of the jobs that are going to be impacted as the coal generation industries shut down."
READ MORE:
EDF Renewables operates six offshore wind farms globally. Another four are under construction, including one with floating technology in France.
Mr Johnson said offshore wind projects presented unique challenges.
"There are some key technical challenges which we've already solved in other jurisdictions. We are keen to bring the learnings from those projects to the Hunter," he said.
"We are super keen to participate in the consultation process and help progress the project."
Mr Johnson said the company would continue to work with the Newcastle Offshore Wind consortium.
"They have put in a lot of effort to build up their local development expertise and connect with the community and stakeholders, which puts this project in a great position to succeed," Mr Johnson said.
"It's always a top priority for us to make sure the community and region benefit from our work and those benefits are clear, far reaching, and impactful for the entire community."
IN THE NEWS:
- Your first taste of Newcastle Food Month 2023's calendar
- John Hunter in national program to help kids with cancer
- Doctor Jeremy Coleman back in court over sexual assault allegations
- Hunter's expensive houses cop brunt of price pain
- The big conundrum facing Kurri Kurri's hydrogen plant
- Ponga, Hastings dress rehearsal slated for Knights-Eels trial
To see more stories and read today's paper download the Newcastle Herald's upgraded news app here.