The proposed Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal would be a port facility to serve as a base of operations for the assembly of offshore wind farms. The Terminal would be situated within the Port of Hastings, to the southeast of Melbourne and approximately 72 kilometres from the CBD.
The Terminal is expected to support wind construction delivery of up to 1 GW per year, process turbines up to 18 megawatts and service multiple offshore wind developments concurrently.
Works would include:
- landside development
- land reclamation
- construction of a reinforced quay, and
- dredging to allow for ship access.
A Renewable Energy Supply Chain Hub will also be developed near offshore wind development areas.
Key Dates
| Dec 2022 | Project Announcement |
| Jan 2024 | EPBC Act Referral Decision |
Funding contributions
| Victorian Government |
PROJECT HISTORY
| Dec 2022 | The Port of Hastings was identified by the Victorian Government as the likely preferred port to support offshore wind construction, subject to necessary community and industry consultation and environment and planning approvals. |
| Mar 2023 | The Victorian Government released the Victorian Offshore Wind Energy Implementation Statement 2, which sets out how Victoria will leverage industry-led investment in offshore wind for the first tranche of projects that will deliver at least 2 gigawatts by 2032. The strategy confirms the location of the Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal at the Port of Hastings. |
| Jul 2023 | The Victorian Government submitted the Environmental Effects Statement to the EPBC Act Public Portal for the Terminal. |
| Aug 2023 | The Minister for Planning decided that an environmental effects statement would be required for the proposed project. |
| Jan 2024 | The Federal Government released a decision under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 (EPBC Act) on the proposed action by the Port of Hastings Corporation to develop and operate a Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal to facilitate offshore wind assembly within the Port of Hastings. The Government found that the Corporation’s proposal would have “clearly unacceptable impacts” on protected matters under the Act. The decision was met with some concern in industry, serving as a stark reminder for the Commonwealth of the difficulty of balancing immediate specific environmental considerations against the long-term, large-scale impacts of not meeting the transition task. |
| May 2024 | The 2024-25 Victorian Budget allocated $16.7 million over FY2023-24 and FY2024-25 for planning and design. |
Estimated Total Cost
(2024)
Sector
Other Transport
Procurement approach
Unconfirmed |
Location
Victoria |
Resources
