Project

Bass Offshore Wind Energy Project

PROJECT STATUS
Prospective
Bass Offshore Wind Energy Project

The Bass Offshore Wind Energy (BOWE) project is a proposed offshore wind farm located approximately 30-kilometres northeast of Tasmania, in the Gippsland Offshore Wind Zone. 

The project is proposed to have 35-70 fixed bottom turbines with a 500 to 1,000 megawatt generation capacity.

It is proposed that the project will connect to the Tasmanian mainland via a transmission cable to George Town.

Procurement

Procuring Agency: A Joint Venture of Nexsphere and Equinor
Procurement note:

The project was initially proposed by Nexsphere, with Equinor joining in a Joint Venture in December 2022. 

Related contracts:
Joint Venture transaction services (Equinor)
Successful Tenderer - Allens

Joint Venture transaction services (Nexsphere)
Successful Tenderer - Ashurst

PROJECT HISTORY

Mar 2019 Nexsphere commences scoping and feasibility study to evaluate whether offshore wind was a viable renewable energy source in Australia. Zone identification and assessment progressed with a strong focus on southern Australia and the wind resource area in the Bass Strait.
Aug 2022 Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy publishes Notice of Proposal for Bass Strait, which began a consultation process to look at creation of an offshore wind zone in the Bass Strait region.
Dec 2022 Equinor, a Norwegian broad energy company, and Nexsphere, an Australian company, announced the establishment of a Joint Venture to develop the project. The project was originally proposed by Nexsphere.
Dec 2022 Minister declared an area in the Bass Strait as being suitable for offshore energy. This is the first offshore wind zone declared in Australia. The declared area covers approximately 15,000 square kilometres and runs offshore from Lakes Entrance in the east, to south of Wilsons Promontory in the west.
Apr 2023 Equinor announced it had received Foreign Investment Review Board approval to invest in the Bass Offshore Wind Energy project.
Jun 2023 The Tasmanian Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Nexsphere and Equinor, to progress the project.
Sector
Energy
Procurement approach
Other |
Location
Tasmania |
Resources
Project website
BOWE Project Website