The Hunter Offshore Wind Project will underpin the Hunter's economic prosperity for the next three decades, the man behind the company that has been awarded a preliminary feasibility licence for the project says.
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Oceanex chief executive Andy Evans said the company's economic modelling showed the 2 gigawatt project would be the catalyst for a broad base of community benefits.
"We want to make sure kids and future generations have something to aspire to and those working in existing industries that are near the end of their life have opportunities to stay in the region and work," he said.
As the Newcastle Herald reported on Thursday, Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen awarded Oceanex and its Norwegian partner Equinor, a preliminary feasibility licence for the Hunter project.
The project is expected to create 3000 construction jobs and 300 ongoing jobs over three decades.
Speaking at the Port of Newcastle on Thursday, Mr Bowen doubled down on the project's role in job creation as part of the Hunter's energy transition.
"One of the criteria we apply is community benefits. I am very confident that this decision will result in real benefits for communities and workers. That's very much what we do when it comes to regional development and offshore wind," Mr Bowen, who has made eight trips to the region in the past two years, said.
Hunter unions welcomed the commitment.
"The Hunter Jobs Alliance is excited to continue engagement with Oceanex and Equinor to work on maximising local jobs, supply chains, manufacturing, best practice environmental mitigation strategies, and community benefits for our region," Hunter Jobs Alliance coordinator Justin Page said.
"We have had good engagement with this wind proponent leading up to this point and we can now work on ensuring there is good community consultation throughout the environmental assessment stage to have genuine environmental concerns heard and addressed."
When the community consultation process for the Hunter Offshore Wind Project was launched early last year, the project's potential output was put at 8 gigawatts.
That was reduced to 5 gigawatts when the project was declared last July.
If no other licences are granted, it will now have a quarter of what was originally proposed.
Mr Bowen said the 2 gigawatts would still be enough to power more than a million homes or two Tomago Aluminium smelters, based on the fact the smelter uses 950 megawatts a day.
But Hunter-based Nationals senator Ross Cadell challenged the figure. He said he had recently attended a briefing where it was revealed that Tomago was seeking 3 gigawatts of firmed renewable energy because its energy demand had increased.
The company did not comment.
The preliminary feasibility licence for the Hunter Offshore Wind Project is located at the southern end of the zone, off Newcastle and Lake Macquarie.
Asked if community opposition to the project in Port Stephens, which is in the marginal federal seat of Paterson, had influenced his decision, Mr Bowen said his primary consideration had been the "national interest".
"I consider all sorts of matters. I'm very confident the people of Newcastle will support it very strongly based on my visits here," he said.
Matthew Kelly
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
