World’s biggest offshore wind company enters Australia with big project plans

Ørsted, the world’s biggest offshore wind developer, has confirmed it plans to make major investments in Australia, with the initial focus on the country’s first offshore wind zone in Gippsland, Victoria.

The Danish company’s newly appointed head of Asia Pacific, Per Mejnert Kristensen, says the company has been monitoring developments in Australia for many years, and opportunities in offshore wind, as well as onshore wind, solar and “power to X” (green hydrogen), are getting very interesting.

“We feel that with our experience and track record, we will be able to play a strong role here in the renewable sector,” Kristensen told RenewEconomy in an interview on the weekly Energy Insiders podcast.

Kristensen says Ørsted’s initial focus is on gigawatt scale projects in the Gippsland offshore wind zone in Victoria, which is likely to be officially declared shortly, allowing for the first detailed feasibility studies to be conducted.

The company is also about to open its first permanent Australian office in Melbourne.

“We are talking to a number of different stakeholders and partners here,” Kristensen says. “At this point in time, I’m not able to say anything specifically regarding that. We really feel that now we are kicking off our efforts in Australia.”

https://reneweconomy.com.au/worlds-biggest-offshore-wind-company-enters-australia-with-big-project-plans/