Illawarra wind zone 20km out to sea gets go-ahead

The zone will be smaller than the draft zone, covering 1022 square kilometres, instead of the 1461 square kilometres of the draft zone, and will be located 20 kilometres offshore.

In a statement, the Minister Bowen states the final zone will exclude significant environmental areas including the biologically important area for the Little Penguin, the Shelf Rocky Reef Key Ecological Feature and the Southern Right Whale migration and reproduction area.

Minister Bowen states that the project will create an estimated 1740 jobs during construction and 870 ongoing jobs during operations.

"Declaring this offshore wind zone brings the Illawarra a step closer to becoming a major provider of the building blocks of the net zero transformation - green power, green hydrogen and green steel - along with thousands of new jobs."

Alison Byrnes, MP for Cunningham said the final zone reflected suggestions made during the consultation period last year.

"Amending the zone so that it commences 20 kilometres from the coast and excluding significant environmental areas is a sensible compromise that reflects the majority of community opinion while helping to achieve our shared goals of more renewable energy, more jobs and fewer emissions."

Now that the zone is declared, Minister Bowen has the power to grant licences to prospective developers.

These feasibility licences will enable developers to carry out the tests and studies required before any offshore wind turbines are located.

"My expectation is that all proponents not only make sure that their projects meet the highest environmental standards but also incorporate local content, including the use of locally produced steel, and local workforce and develop a strong benefit sharing scheme so that our community meaningfully benefits from hosting an offshore wind farm should one be developed," Ms Byrnes said.

Applications for feasibility licences open on Monday, June 17, and will close on Thursday, August 17, 2024.

President Responsible Future (Illawarra Chapter) Jenny Cullen said the group - which has campaigned against the offshore wind zone - was not surprised by the declaration.

"The association highlights the Minister's disregard for the concerns expressed by thousands of community members, environmental organisations and local commercial fisheries and tourism operators," the group said in a statement.

In a statement, pro-wind farm group Good for the Gong welcomed the declaration.

"We welcome the transition away from polluting fossil fuels and will now work to hold the Federal Government and any future project proponents to doing renewables right," Illawarra parent Nathan Ashguerra said.

"Replacing fossil fuels with renewables done right is the most important step we can take to stop our oceans from disastrous warming due to climate change and protect marine life."

The group called for rigorous environmental impact processes, minimum guarantees of local employment and content, co-design with traditional owners, and community benefits.

The zone is smaller than the declared Hunter offshore wind zone, which extends to 1854 square kilometres and would potentially produce a smaller amount of electricity, an estimated 2.9 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power 1.8 million homes.