The Star of the South Project is proposed to be located off the south coast of Gippsland in Victoria. As Australia’s first offshore wind farm, this significant project aims to create a new era of innovation, energy transition and opportunity for the region and local community.
Currently in the feasibility phase, the Star of the South is being developed by the Australian founders and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), one of the world’s leading offshore wind and infrastructure developers.
In March 2019, the Commonwealth Government granted the project an exploration licence allowing site investigations in the project area, with wind and wave monitoring equipment placed off the coast late last year.
If the Star of the South project is feasible, it has the potential to power up to 1.8 million homes and create new employment and investment opportunities in Australia.
An Australian First
As Australia’s first offshore wind project, the Star of the South has the potential to provide around 20 percent of Victoria’s current power supply, supporting the country’s transition to renewable sources.
WSP has worked as a trusted partner to the project’s proponents to help achieve key project outcomes and pave the way for the government’s licence approval.
Connecting to the Grid
As the lead consultant to the proposed wind farm, which has been in development since 2012, WSP has provided integrated project management, environment, planning and engineering services.
In our latest engagement as the Onshore Transmission Owners Engineer, our team is providing extensive technical support services for the project in the area of power transmission.
Project components:
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Installation of wind turbine generators and offshore substations off the south coast of Gippsland, Victoria
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Submarine cable route from the wind farm perimeter to the Gippsland coast
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Transmission network of underground cables, overhead line and substation connecting in the Latrobe Valley
Key WSP tasks:
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Onshore Transmission Front End Engineering Design (FEED)
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Power System studies for grid integration and grid connection
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Project Specification Development and general technical support
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Support during procurement and construction
Diversifying Australia’s Energy Mix
In the right conditions, offshore wind farms can produce higher and more consistent power than their onshore counterparts. While originally pioneered in Europe, offshore wind farms are now widespread in the Northern Hemisphere. This is the first project of its kind in Australia. Preliminary analysis indicates it has the right conditions for high and reliable energy production.
If you'd like to read more about this project, please read the news article here: Australia’s First Proposed Offshore Wind Farm Now Closer to Reality
