Orchid Energy, an offshore wind developer based in Brisbane, is exploring the possibility of developing a portfolio of multi-gigawatt fixed and floating offshore wind projects off the coast of Queensland. Although the region has not yet been identified as suitable for offshore wind development, Orchid Energy believes it is a viable option for achieving the Queensland government's goal of delivering 22GW of new renewable capacity by 2035.
Orchid Energy has identified three priority projects that are suitable for large-scale offshore renewable energy generation. These include two offshore wind projects off the coast of Gladstone, with a combined capacity of up to 6GW, and a 4GW floating wind energy project located approximately 30 km from the southeast Queensland coast, which is in close proximity to the Port of Brisbane.
According to CEO Clint Purkiss, the projects in these proposed locations would provide significant energy security and reliability for energy consumers and help achieve Queensland's ambitious clean energy targets. He added that it is essential to consider technical and social factors to develop genuinely sustainable offshore wind projects that can complement onshore generation and storage while protecting the environment.
“We have been working for the past 18 months to identify appropriate sites to host quality offshore wind projects and contribute to Queensland's energy transformation journey,” Purkiss said. “It's been prerequisite for us that all options for the development of offshore wind are genuinely sustainable, to provide diversity to onshore generation and storage, to protect our world-class environmental assets and to simultaneously drive massive growth of key industries including the resources, manufacturing, ports and fuel export sectors.”
Orchid Energy is conducting a detailed technical and environmental analysis of potential project constraints and design options to ensure that the projects “coexist” with existing marine users and environments, including the Great Barrier Reef.
