New offshore wind consortium targets New Zealand and Australia

Plans to create a trans-Tasman offshore wind energy “centre of excellence” between Australia and New Zealand have gained momentum, with the announcement of a NZ-focused project development partnership, backed global floating wind specialist BlueFloat Energy.

The team, which includes Australia’s Energy Estate and NZ’s Elemental Group, will be headed up by BlueFloat’s Jarek Pole, to harness Aotearoa’s “world class” offshore wind resource and use it to complement existing hydro, geothermal and onshore wind assets.

The new collaboration was announced on Thursday alongside the launch of a major new report that highlights New Zealand’s untapped potential for offshore wind development and the opportunities to establish a local supply chain in the Oceania region.

The Haumoana, New Zealand Offshore Wind Capacity Building report – published by the consortium of companies with support from Minters, DLA  Piper, UTS (Sydney) and German Perez Gaido – outlines the opportunities in the sector for New Zealand, and its regional neighbours, including Australia.

The report argues that the offshore wind industry in New Zealand could establish a broad ecosystem of regional economic development, including local manufacturing, and facilitate trans-Tasman collaboration in to set up world-class skills and training programs.

Across the Tasman, Australia on Thursday quietly ushered through federal parliament the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Bill – long-awaited legislation that will finally open the floodgates to Australia’s own, as-yet untapped offshore wind energy potential. See: “Game changer:” Senate clears way for offshore wind farms in Australian waters

Energy Estate, which says it has also been working with BlueFloat to develop offshore wind projects in Australia, has a number of major renewables collaborations in the works, including two separate and massive wind, solar and storage hubs planned for New South Wales and for Queensland.

Energy Estate’s chief advisor, Simon Corbell, who was the architect of one of Australia’s most successful renewable energy policies as environment minister for the ACT, said offshore wind development was a key new resource development sector for both NZ and Australia.

“Skilled trades are already transferrable between the jurisdictions and opportunities exist for creating first-of-a-kind training for offshore wind operations,” said Corbell, who also contributed to the Offshore Wind Energy in Australia report, published in July.

“Existing capabilities and experience in the marine and offshore oil and gas sectors should also be explored, and new partnerships created that enable existing work forces to pivot into a new offshore wind sector as it develops,” he said.

“The stretch goal is to create a Trans-Tasman centre of excellence which can serve the domestic industries and support the wider Asia-Pacific markets as the offshore wind industries expand across the wider region.”

Energy Estate co-founder, Simon Currie, said he had been a first-hand witness to the rapid development of the offshore wind industry in Europe and was keen to bring some of the lessons learned to a New Zealand setting.

“A good example of our approach is exploring the opportunities to foster a green hydrogen and e-fuels industry that harnesses the fantastic winds across New Zealand to decarbonise domestic demand and export green fuels to the world,” he said.

Nick Jackson, director of Elemental Group, said his company along with BlueFloat and Energy Estate had a shared vision for New Zealand, while also being deeply committed to achieving net zero as soon as possible.

“Beyond that, we are also dedicated to ensuring that oil and gas workers, the supply chain and coastal communities, can recognise the benefits from an orderly transition,” Jackson said.

“Our goal is to develop an offshore wind industry which puts iwi front and centre and ensures that all stakeholders get to participate rather than sit on the side-lines.”

See also: “Game changer”: Senate clears way for offshore wind farms in Australian waters

See also RenewEconomy’s Offshore Wind Farm Map of Australia