Bowen announces offshore wind farm zone proposal off Bunbury coast

Offshore wind farming 20km off Bunbury’s coast has been proposed by the Federal Government, with consultation having begun on Tuesday. Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen visited Bunbury to announce the plans which include an area of 7674sqkm between Cape Naturaliste and Mandurah. At its closest, the area is 20km off both Cape Naturaliste and Bunbury while it will be 36km away from Busselton. According to the Government, the project could produce up to 20 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity, and that one spin of a turbine equates to the same amount of energy as a solar panel after a full day. It is most likely the South West wind farm would not be producing energy until the 2030s. For the offshore wind farm to be constructed the plans would need to be in a legally declared area, involving licences and environmental approval. Talking in Bunbury on Tuesday, Mr Bowen said change in energy production was needed and the area of the Indian Ocean was ideal due its consistent winds. “There is no offshore wind (farms) in Australia, the world’s largest island and that’s got to change,” he said. “We know that Western Australia is going to need a lot of new energy in the decades to come, we know that the South West grid is predicted to need 50 gigawatts more electricity between now and the early 2040s. “We know that this part of Western Australia, this industrial powerhouse will need more clean, green energy as investors and consumers demand decarbonisation.” Similar proposals on the east coast, particularly in the Hunter and Illawarra regions, have come under particular scrutiny for their environmental impact. A number of private projects have already been proposed by companies for the area, including the likes of Oceanex and Copenhagen Energy. According to Mr Bowen nothing was set in stone and everything was open to consultation. He said he was confident there would be a majority of support by the end of the consultation period but he knew he could not please everyone. “That’s what we’re doing, opening up for feedback, opening up for consultation and taking it on board,” he said. “We’ve got to get that consultation right. “I’m not here to suggest that at the end of the consultation, people will say that ministry got everything right, everyone’s 100 per cent happy with everything we decided. “That world doesn’t happen, that doesn’t exist when you’re making a big decision, but everybody will get a say.” In response to the plan Forrest MP Nola Marino said the South West community needed to be extensively consulted. “Local people have plenty of very reasonable questions and concerns,” Mrs Marino said. “For example, the impact on recreational and commercial fishing. “Then there’s the prospect of exclusion zones around turbines during construction, servicing and operation, and the ultimate responsibility for decommissioning and rehabilitation of the sites. “South West communities really love our marine environment and its natural beauty, we don’t want it destroyed for future generations.” Consultation meetings will be held in mid-March in Bunbury, Busselton, Harvey and Mandurah.