Iberdrola Australia said on Monday it has received approval from the Offshore Infrastructure Regulator (OIR) to begin metocean studies for its 3-gigawatt (GW) Aurora Green offshore wind project off the coast of Victoria.
The regulatory approval clears the way for the company to start feasibility-stage data collection in a designated licence area more than 25 kilometres offshore from Ninety Mile Beach in Gippsland.
As part of the early-stage work, Iberdrola will deploy a floating light detection and ranging (FLiDAR) buoy, a wave buoy, and a seabed frame to gather wind, wave and oceanographic data. Installation of the monitoring equipment is expected between mid and late July, depending on weather conditions.
“This milestone allows us to commence the important data collection phase of the Aurora Green project,” an Iberdrola Australia spokesperson said in a statement. “The data will be critical in informing the project’s design and development.
The proposed wind farm is expected to feature up to 150 turbines, with a total capacity of 3GW—enough to power more than 2.2 million Australian homes, according to the company. Subject to further regulatory approvals, the first 1GW phase could begin operations by 2032.
