Brisbane-based Orchid Energy has announced it is in the preliminary stages of investigating the potential for a 10GW suite of fixed and floating offshore wind projects off the Queensland coast.
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Orchid Energy is exploring three large-scale offshore wind projects, with two off the coast of Gladstone which could have up to 6GW of capacity and a 4GW floating wind project off the coast of South-East Queensland with proximity to the Port of Brisbane.
Orchid Energy CEO Clint Purkiss said the company has been working for the past 18 months to identify appropriate sites to host quality offshore wind resources in the state.
While Queensland is yet to be nominated as a viable offshore wind zone, Orchid Energy said it believed offshore wind could offer a “robust means” of contributing to the Queensland Government’s target to deliver 22GW of new renewable generation capacity by 2035.
Purkiss said these large-scale offshore wind projects would also bring long-term economic and social value for Queensland through industry stimulation, regional growth and ongoing jobs.
“These projects will also add to Queensland’s planned $62 billion in renewable energy investments and stimulate the development of new, profitable and resilient supply chains when you account for the phenomenal volume of materials, components and skills required to deploy such large scale technology at sea,” Purkiss said.
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Orchid Energy is currently working through detailed technical and environmental analysis of potential project constraints and design options to ensure projects “coexist” with existing marine users and environments, including the Great Barrier Reef.
