BlueFloat and partners step up plans to build offshore wind farms in New Zealand

Spanish renewable developer BlueFloat Energy and its consortium partners Energy Estate and Elemental Group are stepping up efforts to develop up to 5GW from offshore wind projects in New Zealand.

The consortium has detailed a multibillion-dollar investment plan for offshore wind projects in South Auckland and West Waikato, Aotearoa — the second investment to be announced by the partnership in New Zealand.

As reported by RenewEconomy, the partners  earlier this month unveiled plans to build a 900MW offshore wind project off the coast of South Taranaki, on New Zealand’s North Island.

The  latest development project, named Waikato Offshore Wind project, will likely be built in phases to generate capacity of up to 1.4 GW of power using both fixed and floating foundation technology and capable of powering around 700,000 homes, according to the partners.

Phase 1 of the project is for a 250 MW development using fixed bottom technology 22 kilometres off the West Waikato coast.

Options for Phase 2 utilise floating foundations and include the potential for an 800-1,150 MW development positioned to the west or north of Phase 1.

BlueFloat is counting on offshore wind in the South Auckland-Waikato region benefitting from close proximity to the Huntly power station and the Glenbrook substation in South Auckland, next door to a NZ Steel plant.

It will offer a direct route to the grid and the potential to provide new supplies of clean energy to consumers and industry in the Waikato and greater Auckland area.

We have a real opportunity to build the sector in a way where the offshore wind industry collaborates and doesn’t just compete,” Energy Estate co-founder Simon Currie said in a statement. “Our partnership wants to build an industry – not just projects.”

The consortium has completed its initial site selection and the project is now in the feasibility stage with construction expected to commence before 2030.

In Australia, BlueFoat and Energy Estate announced in June a 1.155GW offshore wind project off Australia’s southern coast, called Southern Winds, within the proposed Portland West Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Zone.

It is the fourth project in Australia to be announced by the consortium, alongside the 1.3GW Gippsland project, the 1.4GW Hunter project and the 1.6GW Wollongong project.

See RenewEconomy’s Offshore Wind Farm Map of Australia.