Mixed reaction to Government’s approval of Illawarra offshore wind zone

THE Australian Government has declared an area in the Pacific Ocean off the Illawarra, between Wombarra and Kiama where offshore renewable energy, such as wind farms, can be developed.

The Government received more than 14,200 submissions during the consultation period, and met with community members, First Nations people, government and industry. In response to feedback the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen has declared an area that:

• is smaller than originally proposed
• is 20 kilometres offshore to minimise visual impacts (10 kilometres further out than originally proposed) 
• allows space for the safe management of shipping to and from Port Kembla
• avoids significant environmental areas including:
• marine parks
• a Biologically Important Area for the Little Penguin
• Shelf Rocky Reef Key Ecological Feature
• Southern Right Whale migration and reproduction area.
• is large enough to support development of offshore wind in the Illawarra.

The amended zone will now be 20 kilometres from the coast and excludes significant environmental areas including the Biologically Important Area for the Little Penguin, the Shelf Rocky Reef Key Ecological Feature and the Southern Right Whale migration and reproduction area.

The final area for the zone is 1,022 km2 – reducing the zone by a third from the original proposal.

The Illawarra is the fourth officially declared zone in the country and will unlock renewable energy jobs, energy security and job security, while supporting onshore manufacturing powered by reliable renewables.

The Minister says it will bring new employment opportunities to the Illawarra, creating an estimated 1,740 new jobs during construction and 870 ongoing jobs. This includes engineers, technicians, operators, riggers, seafarers, dockworkers, project managers and administrators.

The zone will also power existing heavy industry with cleaner, cheaper energy, helping secure the future of thousands of existing industrial and associated jobs in the Illawarra as well as providing opportunities to attract new job-creating industries using clean energy. It has the potential to generate an estimated 2.9 GW of electricity, enough to power 1.8 million homes.

As well as providing reliable renewable energy to Australian industry, offshore wind projects will be required to maximise their use of Australian supply chains including steel and closely consult with local industry and workers on their project plans to ensure local workers and businesses benefit from the establishment of this new industry.

Minister Bowen said the Illawarra has been an engine room of the Australian economy for generations, and now it’s ready to power Australia’s clean energy future.

“Declaring this offshore wind zone brings the Illawarra a step closer to becoming a major provider of the building blocks of the net zero transformation – green power, green hydrogen and green steel – along with thousands of new jobs,” he said.

Federal MP for Cunningham Alison Byrnes said she is pleased that the zone has been amended to reflect the suggestions she made to the Minister following her own discussions and consultations with the community.

“Amending the zone so that it commences 20 kilometres from the coast and excluding significant environmental areas is a sensible compromise that reflects the majority of community opinion while helping to achieve our shared goals of more renewable energy, more jobs and fewer emissions,” Ms Byrnes said.

“Of course the declaration of a zone is not the final step. There is now an extensive process of studies and approvals that will be required but this is a positive step for a region that wants to secure its industrial future and power it using clean energy.

“My expectation is that all proponents not only make sure that their projects meet the highest environmental standards but also incorporate local content, including the use of locally produced steel, and local workforce and develop a strong benefit sharing scheme so that our community meaningfully benefits from hosting an offshore wind farm should one be developed.”

The announcement has received a mixed response from the Illawarra community.

Environmental justice organisation Friends of the Earth welcomed the announcement, saying it’s good news for action on climate change and job creation.

Friends of the Earth’s renewable energy spokesperson Pat Simons said offshore wind represents a massive opportunity to take action on climate change while creating thousands of new jobs.

“As we all experience the worsening impacts of climate change from severe floods, storms and fires fuelled by burning fossil fuels, offshore wind has a critical role to play in cutting greenhouse gas emissions and providing a new source of electricity.”

A spokesperson for the Illawarra Chapter of Responsible Future said the group is prepared for a long fight against the project.

“The Minister has dismissed the concerns raised by thousands of community members, environmental organisations, local commercial fisheries, and tourism operators,” the spokesperson said.

“These groups have consistently voiced their worries about the project’s adverse impacts on the environment and marine ecosystem. However, their concerns have not been addressed by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water.

“While these groups acknowledge the need to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, they argue against a ‘renewables at any cost’ approach. They advocate for finding suitable locations for energy projects, stressing that there are alternative locations and there are alternative options that do not necessitate damaging the ocean and harming the Illawarra’s highly sensitive marine ecosystem or threatening the many endangered species in the declared area such as whales, albatrosses, turtles and sharks.

“We all believe a healthy ocean is crucial in the fight against climate change and you cannot destroy a marine ecosystem to save it.”

Feasibility licences

Offshore wind projects can’t be built yet. Interested companies will need to apply for a feasibility licence between 17 June and 15 August 2024.

The Government has also announced there will be more investigations, environmental assessments, approvals and consultation with the local community, government, industry, and First Nations peoples.

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