A consortium consisting of offshore wind specialists Simply Blue Group and Subsea7 with local renewable energy developer Spark Renewables, will be spearheading the development of the Sea Fern Floating Offshore Wind project in the newly declared Pacific Ocean off Hunter wind zone off New South Wales. The project will have a generation capacity of up to 2 GW.
It is said that Sea Fern Floating Offshore Wind involves local and global industry leaders, each bringing critical components and renowned expertise to this alliance. This consortium is expected to be well positioned to manage the challenges of developing floating wind technology and realise the ambitious vision of offshore wind power, new economic opportunities for coastal communities.
Simply Blue Group and Subsea7 have worked together since 2019 to successfully develop one of Scotland’s most advanced floating offshore wind projects (the Salamander Offshore Wind Farm) and will use this experience to deliver the Sea Fern project in Australia.
Sea Fern Floating Offshore Wind is currently at the inception phase of applying for a Feasibility Licence under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021. A Feasibility Licence, if granted, will enable the project team to consult and work collaboratively with the community, businesses, and industry. Simply Blue Group, Subsea7 and Spark Renewables will be working with local specialist contractors to design a stakeholder engagement framework.
Within the 7-year Feasibility Licence period the project team would undertake the necessary technical, environmental and social impact studies, approvals and consultation, to ensure the project will be safe and viable.
Success through this process would provide the certainty of licensing required for accessing the seabed, and represent the start of a long-term project. The development approval would be required by 2030 to start construction, with expected operations running through to the 2060s and beyond.
Image courtesy of Sea Fern
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