In a Q&A with GWEC CEO Ben Backwell on the occasion, Minister Bowen careworn the significance of those consultations, explaining it was essential to have the “dialog overtly and respectfully and say ‘sure, these are points that should be labored via. However right here’s all the huge alternatives for our nation.’”
In the present day’s announcement on the APAC Summit means Australia has progressed all six of its consultations inside twelve months. “The tempo of Australia’s improvement within the final 12 months has been unbelievable,” mentioned Ben Backwell, GWEC, CEO, on the APAC Summit. “Minister Bowen described Australia as being like ‘the child finding out all night time to catch up,’ when it got here to renewable vitality, however I believe we are able to safely say the federal government’s work during the last twelve months now makes it a mannequin for different international locations seeking to construct their offshore wind sector.
“Australia has embraced worldwide cooperation, becoming a member of the International Offshore Wind Alliance (GOWA) to assist foster collaboration internationally. The Australian authorities has additionally turn out to be a mannequin for native engagement, with the federal authorities’s help for the State of Victoria becoming a member of GOWA yesterday on the Summit, the primary sub-national authorities to take action, displaying it understands that engagement in any respect ranges is essential to delivering the complete advantages of offshore wind’s potential.
“GWEC appears ahead to rising its involvement within the area as Australia builds its offshore wind sector, and helps the APAC Summit ship on its huge offshore potential.”
The APAC Summit concludes on Thursday with an Offshore Wind Open Day, the place the exhibition is free to attend for job seekers and anybody seeking to achieve a greater understanding of what alternatives the offshore wind sector will present.
Contact: Alex Tub, Communications Director, [email protected]
For reference:
Minister Bowen’s feedback on the brand new consultations in full:
“Twelve months in the past we introduced the primary steps in creating a brand new renewable vitality trade, with the announcement of six proposed areas with world-class offshore wind vitality potential.
I’ve declared the primary two zones. Gippsland and Hunter.
We’ve begun session on the following two zones – Illawarra and the Southern Ocean area.
And at this time, I’m happy to announce the following steps.
Firstly – the Bass Strait area, off the Tasmanian Coast.
Session for this area will begin initially of October.
Secondly, the Perth/Bunbury area off the coast of Western Australia.
I announce at this time the session will start on this zone in November.
This places us firmly on observe to have all six areas declared by the primary half of subsequent 12 months.
I’m offering this roadmap at this time as a result of I do know it would give trade certainty concerning the speedy path forward.
It should additionally give visibility to communities concerning the conversations arising.
These are essential conversations, and I heard the chief government discuss concerning the significance of neighborhood session. And I wholeheartedly agree.
Neighborhood session is essential to our success.
It’s not a rubber stamp course of – it’s not a fig leaf.
That is real dialog, listening to completely different views, and ensuring the stability proper.
The 2 zones I’ve declared to date: Gippsland and Hunter, each have modified from the initially proposed zones on account of neighborhood session. That is appropriately. It’s the course of working.
I wish to say this to you clearly and admittedly too: our authorities session is healthier and smoother if proponents have engaged in actual, respectful and knowledgeable consultations with communities.
Later this 12 months, Australia’s Vitality Infrastructure Commissioner might be publishing the primary information for communities and builders on how finest to have interaction in Australia.
This may present extra steering to builders and clearly lay out the method to communities for session.
We’ve been capable of carry this work ahead due to our Authorities’s elevated funding within the improvement of the Australian offshore wind trade.
Australia has a few of the finest offshore wind sources anyplace on this planet, and we’re happy to be open for enterprise.
However I additionally wish to be clear with you about this. We’re concerned about renewable vitality.
We’re additionally concerned about jobs, native content material and financial improvement in addition to provide chain.
I’m not right here to faux to you that Australia can fulfil all your complete offshore wind provide chain.
However we are able to fulfil a task more and more in that offer chain and we wish to see actual financial dividends.
Proponents with correct plans for native financial content material, job creation and development may have the eye and co-operation of the Authorities.
That is particularly the case for our areas.
Take our first offshore wind zone for instance.
Gippsland is a few hours from right here.
It’s a stupendous a part of the world.
It’s additionally house to Victoria’s coal fired energy stations.
Energy stations that gained’t get replaced with new ones once they shut.
It’s no co-incidence that we selected Gippsland as our first offshore wind zone.
It’s wealthy in wind.
We would like it to be wealthy in jobs too.
Not simply jobs for current coal fired energy station staff. However for his or her children who wish to keep within the area.
Offshore wind is a crucial a part of that imaginative and prescient and I invite offshore wind proponents to actually give attention to the financial dividend for the areas through which they search to be positioned.”
