The federal government is investigating part of Bass Strait for an offshore wind farm zone

Offshore wind farm developers say the federal government is looking in the wrong spot for a Bass Strait offshore wind energy zone. What they want changed.

From left, Sean Van Steel from CoreMarine, Ian Jones, chair of Clean Energy Tasmania, and Bess Clark, CEO of TasRex, speaking about the proposed Bass Strait offshore wind zone

Wind farm proponents and renewable energy advocates says the part of Bass Strait being considered as an offshore wind energy zone is either too deep for fixed turbines or too shallow for floating turbines.

Clean Energy Tasmania and windfarm developer TasRex want the federal government to reconsider its proposed wind energy zone.

The proposed Bass Strait offshore wind area covers a 10,136sqkm section of water between Burnie and Bridport, 20km to 70km away from land.

The proposed area was determined following consultation with Australian and Tasmanian government agencies.

An offshore wind turbine in Spain. (Photo by ANDER GILLENEA / AFP)

However Clean Energy Tasmania Chair Ian Jones, said while the federal government’s support for offshore wind in Bass Strait was welcome, the area selected needed to be revised.

“We want the best possible outcome for the community, for investors and for the renewable energy sector, that’s why we’re urging the Federal Government to take another look at the zone it has proposed for offshore wind,” Mr Jones said.

“Most of the proposed area is too deep for fixed bottom turbines and too shallow for floating turbines.

“However, to the east and the west of the proposed area are two locations that are in the Goldilocks zone for wind farm development – they’re just right. They would enable cost effective wind farm development in areas that have some of the best wind resources in the world.

TasRex CEO Bess Clark said the current zone under consultation mainly covered waters deeper than 65 metres, which was suboptimal for offshore wind development.

Ms Clark said TasRex, CoreMarine and other experts had identified areas off North East and North West Tasmania, adjacent to the currently proposed zone that should be included in a further round of consultation.

“Our studies have identified areas that are technically viable for fixed-bottom wind development, with good grid connectivity, while maintaining a significant buffer from mainland Tasmania and the Bass Strait islands,” she said.

The federal government has been contacted for comment.

Originally published as The federal government is investigating part of Bass Strait for an offshore wind farm zone