A new study launched on the 21 November 2023 highlights
significant opportunities for the UK to share its windfarm
expertise with Australia’s burgeoning offshore wind (OSW) market.
The ‘Australian Offshore Wind Market Study’, conducted by Arup,
evaluates potential Australian OSW markets and analyses the strengths,
weaknesses and opportunities for UK support.
Key findings indicate that the Australian OSW market could substantially benefit
from collaboration with UK suppliers, given the UK’s 23 years of
experience and its status as the second-largest OSW market globally, boasting 13.9GW of
installed capacity as of 2023.
Despite Australia’s current lack of OSW capacity, the country has over 40
OSW projects proposed for
development. Notably, the award of OSWfeasibility licences for Victoria’s
Gippsland area are expected to be announced soon and feasibility
applications in New South Wales’ 1,854km² Hunter Zone, designated
for OSW development in July,
are due this month.
The report also acknowledges challenges including market
distance, local content requirements and public perception.
Addressing these will be facilitated by the recent UK-Australia
free trade agreement, enabling tariff-free exports of key
components such as inter-array cables, dynamic cable products and
wind turbine blades.
The Deputy High Commissioner to Australia, Nick Crouch, launched
the report at a special event at the British Consulate-General in
Sydney.
Nick said:
Launching this report a week before COP 28 in Dubai is
significant. COP 28 comes at a crucial moment, and a priority for
the UK is to ensure that this COP delivers an outcome that puts
the world on track to keep temperature rise below 1.5⁰C.
The UK / Australia climate partnership is responding to the
challenge as our two countries deliver our net zero commitments.
Offshore wind can have a role in Australia’s energy transition,
and I am pleased that the UK can offer its expertise to
Australia’s expanding market.
NSW Consul-General and Deputy Trade Commissioner Louise Cantillon
said:
As a pioneer in addressing climate change and decarbonising its
economy, the UK was the first major economy to commit into law to
Net Zero by 2050.
This report shows that we are well-positioned to assist and
collaborate with markets like Australia in meeting their energy
transition goals.
Arup’s Offshore Wind Leader for Australasia Damon Sunderland
said:
“Our analysis is helping shape investment and collaboration
opportunities needed for growing Australia’s offshore wind market
– a critical market for creating a scalable renewable energy
supply.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
commissioned Arup for this report to aid the successful
development of OSW in
Australia and explore further collaborative opportunities with UK
businesses and suppliers.
Arup is a global collective of designers, consultants and experts
dedicated to sustainable development. They collaborated with
local and international industry for additional insights.
The report was unveiled at 12:30pm on 21 November 2023 at the
British Consulate General Sydney, the report will be available to
the general public at 1:00pm (AEST) on 22nd November online.
