Victoria kickstarting offshore wind auctions signals a safer, cleaner energy future

As extreme heat grips much of Australia, today’s announcement that Victoria will host Australia’s first offshore wind industry auction in August is welcome news, Environment Victoria said today.

The Allan Labor Government’s decision to progress the auction for an initial 2 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity comes as Victoria’s coal fleet continues to experience serious reliability issues, with repeated unplanned outages at Yallourn and Loy Yang in recent months.

“Victoria is already making strong progress, with renewables providing 42.4 per cent of the state’s electricity last financial year and delivering the lowest wholesale electricity prices in the country,” said Environment Victoria’s Senior Climate and Energy Advisor Dr Kat Lucas-Healey. 

“An offshore wind industry will build on that momentum and deliver the large-scale, reliable clean energy needed to fully replace aging and unreliable coal-fired power stations over the next decade.”

“Offshore wind is a crucial part of Victoria’s future renewable energy mix, and today’s announcement is a milestone in harnessing our state’s significant offshore wind resources. It will help get clean, affordable power online, enable Victoria’s unreliable coal power stations to close and accelerate the transition to clean, renewable energy.”

“As Victoria faces record-smashing high temperatures and entire communities are being evacuated from bushfire threats, this is a vital step to reduce climate-wrecking pollution from coal and gas.”

“Victoria has some of the best offshore wind resources in the world. A thriving offshore wind industry promises to create thousands of jobs and secure long-term energy reliability, particularly in regions like Gippsland that have powered the state for generations.”

“Offshore wind is a great fit for Victoria, with strong, reliable winds in Bass Strait, a skilled energy workforce in the Latrobe Valley, and existing transmission connections in Gippsland. It’s far better to invest our future in clean, renewable energy that doesn’t run out, than seismic blasting for dwindling and polluting gas.”

““It’s also great to see the Albanese government finally come to the table and support this major new clean industry that has the potential to create thousands of jobs Australia-wide.”

Today’s announcement follows progress on the Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal at the Port of Hastings in Western Port which will support the construction of offshore wind projects. Environment Victoria has called for a marine spatial plan and dedicated funding for Western Port to be included in this May’s Victorian budget to guide development in the bay while protecting its internationally significant marine environment.