Offshore wind zone declared for Bass Strait off Gippsland
Australia has unveiled plans for its first offshore wind zone as the country moves towards a renewable future.

News.com.au
December 19, 2022

Thousands of jobs will be created over the next 15 years, as Australia moves to its renewable energy future, with the announcement of Australia’s first offshore wind zone.   :)

The Bass Strait off Gippsland has been chosen as the first zone, with the potential to support more than 10GW of year-round energy generation – the equivalent of about five coal plants.

The area covers about 15,000 square kilometres offshore, running from Lakes Entrance in the east to south of Wilsons Promontory in the west.

The Star of the South Offshore Windfarm Project has been given major product status, with up to 200 wind turbines to be built up to 25km off the coast.

Australia’s first offshore wind zone will have the capability to generate 10GW of energy a year.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the declaration was a “crucial” step towards “affordable, reliable and secure energy and new economic opportunities for Australia”.

“Australia’s new offshore wind industry will start in Gippsland,” he said.

“It will support new jobs and economic development in the regions that have always powered Australia, and will power Australia into the future.

“Australia has huge potential.”

Mr Bowen said it was estimated that during development and construction, more than 2000 jobs will be created, with additional ongoing operational jobs.

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the declaration was a crucial step in Australia’s renewable future.

The area is smaller than was originally proposed due to concerns raised by members of the community, including the “visual impact” as well as potential environmental harms.

As a result, the declared area will include a 10km buffer zone from the shore.

Industry Minister Ed Husic said the government was anticipating more projects like Star of the South in the years to come.

“We want to see more large-scale projects built in coming years. This will help integrate Australian manufacturing with renewable energy infrastructure, delivering more jobs in Australian companies,” he said.

“And that’s precisely why the National Reconstruction Fund is so important. We are putting $3 billion aside to make sustainable investments in renewables to help create those long-term, well-paid jobs.”

Environmental vandalism that is embraced by the ill informed who are being manipulated into believing that windmills and solar panels will save the world.  ::)

Putting these things offshore is a stupid idea. It will cost more to build and maintain them.

We don't have any boats capable of installing them the boats they use for this cost many millions.


Quote:

Big Wind's Bogus Subsidies Giving tax credits to the wind energy industry is a waste of time and money. Despite being famous for touting the idea that the rich don’t pay their fair share of taxes, investor Warren Buffet seems to be perfectly fine with receiving tax breaks for making investments in Big Wind. "I will do anything that is basically covered by the law to reduce Berkshire's tax rate," Buffet told an audience in Omaha, Nebraska recently. "For example, on wind energy, we get a tax credit if we build a lot of wind farms. That's the only reason to build them. They don't make sense without the tax credit." https://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/nancy-pfotenhauer/2014/05/12/even-warren-buffet-admits-wind-energy-is-a-bad-investment

Baronvonrort wrote on Dec 20^th, 2022 at 9:28pm:

Putting these things offshore is a stupid idea. It will cost more to build and maintain them. We don't have any boats capable of installing them the boats they use for this cost many millions. Quote: Big Wind's Bogus Subsidies Giving tax credits to the wind energy industry is a waste of time and money. Despite being famous for touting the idea that the rich don’t pay their fair share of taxes, investor Warren Buffet seems to be perfectly fine with receiving tax breaks for making investments in Big Wind. "I will do anything that is basically covered by the law to reduce Berkshire's tax rate," Buffet told an audience in Omaha, Nebraska recently. "For example, on wind energy, we get a tax credit if we build a lot of wind farms. That's the only reason to build them. They don't make sense without the tax credit." https://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/nancy-pfotenhauer/2014/05/12/even-warren-buffet-admits-wind-energy-is-a-bad-investment

From 2014???

:-? :-? :-?

You mean tax credits are out of fashion?The subsidies to wind and solar suggest not. ::)

Baronvonrort wrote on Dec 20^th, 2022 at 9:28pm:

Putting these things offshore is a stupid idea. It will cost more to build and maintain them. We don't have any boats capable of installing them, the boats they use for this cost many millions.

This indicates that you have little idea at all of what's actually involved
with the construction of the Star of The South wind farm.  And of course,
we already have installation vessels capable of driving the monopiles,
and assembling the pylons, nacelles, and blades.

Maintenance costs are identical to land based wind farms as they both
utilise the same type of mechanical gear.

I'd be interested in seeing your breakdown of construction and maintenance
costs for off-shore turbines versus on-shore, as you seem to be claiming the
excessive costs of off-shore are too high to make them practicable.   Or are
you just guessing?

https://www.structuresinsider.com/post/wind-energy-overview-onshore-vs-offshore-farm-costs

As for maintenance costs being the same see Table 1

AusGeoff wrote on Dec 22^nd, 2022 at 10:35pm:

Baronvonrort wrote on Dec 20th, 2022 at 9:28pm: Putting these things offshore is a stupid idea. It will cost more to build and maintain them. We don't have any boats capable of installing them, the boats they use for this cost many millions. This indicates that you have little idea at all of what's actually involved with the construction of the Star of The South wind farm.  And of course, we already have installation vessels capable of driving the monopiles, and assembling the pylons, nacelles, and blades. Maintenance costs are identical to land based wind farms as they both utilise the same type of mechanical gear. I'd be interested in seeing your breakdown of construction and maintenance costs for off-shore turbines versus on-shore, as you seem to be claiming the excessive costs of off-shore are too high to make them practicable.   Or are you just guessing?

Your post shows you don't have a clue what you're talking about. Is the old Boomer starting to develop Dementia?


Quote:

Offshore wind projects are outpacing the ships that build them Feb 4, 2022 The short supply of ships capable of deploying giant wind turbines at sea is becoming an even bigger problem as offshore wind ambitions grow. By 2024, demand for wind turbine installation vessels will likely outpace supply, according to a recent analysis by Norwegian firm Rystad Energy. That’s even sooner than a prediction the firm made back in 2020 when it said that the global fleet wouldn’t be enough to meet demand after 2025. Massive, specialized vessels are required to carry wind turbine components out to sea and install them. With just over 30 of these vessels navigating the world’s seas in 2020, according to Rystad, Only four of the turbine installation ships in operation are capable of carrying behemoth next-generation turbines, according to Rystad’s 2020 analysis. The firm measures demand for the ships in “vessel years” that represent how much time is needed with the vessels to build offshore wind projects. Rystad says demand for vessels capable of installing turbines larger than 9 MW was “nonexistent” in 2019. By 2030, it expects demand for such ships to reach 62 vessel years. More here- https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/3/22916065/offshore-wind-energy-demand-installation-vessels-supply

We don't have any ships in this part of the world that can install these bird choppers. Where are we going to get them how much will they cost to build and how long will that take?

Our CSIRO calculated offshore wind energy to cost 2-3 times more than land for installed cost. They did a cost breakdown perhaps you should try google and read that.

As for maintaining them turbine blades need replacing every ten years they have a fatigue life.

Ships cost more to run than semi trailers then you might have to pay people to sit around doing nothing as these boats need good weather to service these bird choppers. Wind strength and waves will delay putting these ships out to sea. These ships have astronimcal fuel cost compared to trucks.