Star of the South is a proposed offshore wind farm with up to 2.2 gigawatts of generating capacity located in the Gippsland Offshore Wind Zone. The project will use existing infrastructure in the Latrobe Valley to connect to the National Electricity Market.
The licence area was granted for a 586 kilometre square area at least 10 kilometres off the Gippsland coast, between Port Albert and Woodside Beach.
The project would include:
- an offshore wind farm with up to 2.2 gigawatts of generating capacity
- around 100 kilometres of underground and subsea transmission cables
- up to four offshore substations, and
- two to four onshore substations.
The project is being developed by Southerly Ten, a Copehagen Infrastrucutre Partners company, and Cbus Super.
Funding contributions
| Victorian Government | |
|
The Victorian Government's funding contribution is toward pre-construction activities. |
|
Financing
|
The project is being developed by Southerly Ten, a Copehagen Infrastrucutre Partners company, and Cbus Super (10%). Cbus Super also has holdings in CIPs CI IV fund which is the majority owner of the project. |
PROJECT HISTORY
| Nov 2017 | The developer, Star of the South, was founded when Offshore Energy, a group of Australian developers, partnered with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners. |
| Mar 2019 | The Federal Government approved a licence to commence technical and environmental studies for the project. |
| Nov 2019 | Site investigations commenced. |
| Apr 2020 | Community consultation opened for three possible transmission route options. Also, Star of the South submitted referrals under the Victorian Government’s Environment Effects Act and the Australian Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to assess the project's construction and operation. |
| Oct 2020 | The 2020-21 Federal Budget allocated $4.8 million to support the development of the regulatory framework for offshore clean energy projects. Star of the South is contributing to the development of the new regulatory framework. |
| Mar 2021 | Star of the South announced the preferred transmission route will come to shore around Reeves Beach and travel underground through Darriman, Giffard West and Hiamdale before using existing infrastructure in the Latrobe Valley to connect to the National Electricity Market. The preferred option will use underground transmission cables and follow Basslink for part of the route. |
| Jul 2021 | The Federal and Victorian governments released draft Assessment Guidelines for the Environmental Impact Statement and Scoping Requirements for the Environmental Effects Statement for the project. The documents are on public exhibition until 27 July. |
| Aug 2021 | Star of the South called for local community and visitor input on people's favourite sightseeing spots to inform its detailed environmental assessments. |
| Nov 2021 | The Victorian Government committed $19.5 million in public funding toward pre-construction activities for the Star of the South project. |
| May 2022 | CBUS acquired a 10 per cent interest in the project, from Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners' fund, Copenhagen Infrastructure IV, the majority owner of the project. |
| Dec 2022 | The project was awarded Major Project Status by the Federal Government |
| May 2024 | The project is granted a feasibility licence by the Federal Government. The project announces the company Southerly Ten, a CIP company, that will deliver both Star of the South and the Kut-Wut Brataualung project, also located in the Gippsland Offshore WInd Zone. |
2019/03/29 Cth approves licence to undertake technical and environmental studies
2017/11/30
2021/11/23 Victorian Government provides $19.5 million funding for pre-construction
2022/05/30 Cbus announces 10% stake
2022/12/19 Federal Government declares area in Bass Strait off Gippsland as an offshore wind zone
2024/05/01 Federal Government grants feasibility licences
2024/05/01 Southerly Ten announced
