The Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, has provisionally approved a feasibility licence for the 1.2GW Spinifex offshore wind project in the Southern Ocean region near the coast of Victoria.

The Spinifex project will now progress to the next phase of the feasibility licensing process.

This critical stage involves extensive consultation and detailed studies to assess the project’s viability.

Spinifex offshore wind farm has received a preliminary feasibility licence for a potential offshore wind project to be developed by Alinta Energy and Parkwind, a subsidiary of JERA Nex.

The feasibility licence holder will now engage with stakeholders, including First Nations groups, who may be affected by the project’s development.

The consultation process is designed to ensure that all voices are heard and considered in the project’s planning stages.

In addition to stakeholder engagement, the Spinifex project team will conduct comprehensive environmental studies.

These are crucial in determining the project’s potential impacts and the feasibility of moving forward with construction and operation.

Bowen stated: “My decision today is a big step towards powering communities and industries across southwest Victoria with reliable renewables delivered by an offshore wind industry.

“I’ve made a preliminary decision to offer a feasibility licence to Spinifex’s project, which will support hundreds of new, high-value jobs and a future made in regional Victoria.

“Offshore wind represents a huge opportunity for regional Australia, providing reliable renewables to power homes and heavy industry while creating highly skilled and well-paid jobs now and into the future.”

Alinta Energy partnered with Parkwind, a JERA Nex subsidiary, In April 2024 to jointly develop Spinifex.

Under the agreement, Alinta Energy and JERA Nex, the new renewable energy arm of Japanese utility JERA, will leverage their expertise to develop the project.