Significant wind energy projects slated

VICTORIA is on the brink of a renewable energy transformation, with the federal government’s approval of the Southern Ocean offshore wind zone and Viva Energy’s commitment to wind power marking significant steps forward.

On Wednesday last week, the federal government declared an area in the Southern Ocean, off western Victoria, as suitable for offshore wind development.

The zone, located about 20km off the coast of Warrnambool and Port Fairy, is expected to generate 2.9GW of wind energy, sufficient to power more than two million homes.

Friends of the Earth renewable energy spokesperson Pat Simons welcomed the announcement.

“Offshore wind will play a critical role in cutting polluting greenhouse gas emissions by powering millions of homes with clean, renewable energy and is a much better choice than coal and gas,” he said.

After receiving 3,285 submissions, the zone, originally proposed to stretch from Warrnambool to Port MacDonnell in South Australia, was reduced to one-fifth of its initial size.

The announcement coincides with Viva Energy securing a 10-year contract with ACCIONA Energia for renewable electricity from the Mt Gellibrand Wind Farm in Victoria.

The Mt Gellibrand facility, close to Viva’s refinery in Geelong, will supply a substantial portion of the company’s energy needs and support its efforts to reduce emissions on a group-wide scale.

Viva Energy’s chief of business development and sustainability Lachlan Pfeiffer said the securing renewable energy in the Geelong region had been a focus for some time.

“Viva Energy signed its first PPA agreement with ACCIONA Energia back in 2019, helping to support and establish the development of renewable energy in the Geelong region,” Mr Pfeiffer said.

“This new agreement provides both substantial power supply and LGCs to Viva Energy, supporting our ambition to reduce scope 2 emissions across our various businesses as well as providing a long-term

commitment to local renewable energy generation in the greater Geelong region.”

The push for offshore wind comes amid growing community opposition to a proposal to use seismic blasting for offshore oil and gas exploration along the Great Ocean Road, highlighted by a planned protest at Torquay on March 23.

The Victorian government has clarified that offshore wind projects can be surveyed using safer methods.