About
BOWE will be based in the Bell Bay area of North East Tasmania, supported by a local team and offices based in Launceston and Hobart. BOWE is determined to ensure the benefits of the Tasmanian offshore wind development sector are felt throughout the state, to ensure that jobs, housing and opportunity are not limited to the immediate project area. The Bass Offshore Wind Energy project (BOWE) is a transformational renewable energy project that will help accelerate Australia’s change to a green and clean energy supply. BOWE. Change is in the air.
Ole Jørgen Bratland / ©Equinor
About the project
The Bass Offshore Wind Energy project (BOWE) seeks to be a transformational renewable energy project that will help accelerate Australia’s change to a more sustainable energy supply. The project aims to design, construct and operate a large-scale wind farm in Commonwealth waters approximately 30 kilometres off the coast of north-eastern Tasmania, in the Bass Strait, taking advantage of Tasmania’s world-class offshore wind resources. BOWE will redefine what it means to give back, with between 70 and 100 offshore wind turbines generating up to 1,500 megawatts of renewable energy, in its first phase, producing power equivalent to powering 325k homes – and saving 2 million tonnes of CO2 annually. BOWE will also help power Australia’s industrial transformation to a green energy superpower by supporting the development of industry, and support the transition of existing industries by providing reliable, efficient, large scale, renewable energy to major Tasmania and Australian utilities and industrial customers. The project will support Australia’s transition to a zero-carbon economy, and will confirm Tasmania’s status as a global renewable energy powerhouse, while also supporting the Tasmanian Government’s global leading target of 200% renewable energy. BOWE. Change is in the air.
How
Environmental research
We are working with local environmental researchers and specialists with the goal to protect and share the marine environment and minimize the impact of BOWE. BOWE is providing ongoing in-kind support for Blue Economy CRC’s ‘Development of Offshore Wind Energy in Australia’ and ‘Marine Spatial Planning’ projects. Nexsphere is an active member of Clean Energy Tasmania while Equinor is a member of the Australian Clean Energy Council.
Opportunity
The project will support the establishment of an offshore wind energy industry in Tasmania and support a ‘whole of Bass Strait’ offshore wind industry through synergies with Gippsland. Project benefits are also expected to include direct long-term employment opportunities during construction, operations and maintenance and many indirect jobs in equipment, logistics and service supply.
Strategy
BOWE will support the development of a local hydrogen and green fuels industry and support the transition of existing industries by providing reliable, efficient, large scale, renewable energy to major industrial customers. BOWE can also export green energy into the National Electricity Market through existing and planned interconnectors between Victoria and Tasmania.
Development
BOWE will be located ‘at the horizon’ approximately 30 kilometres off the coast of north east Tasmania. It will have minimal visual impact and no noise impact onshore at this distance. The project will have between 70 and 100 offshore wind turbines with the potential to generate over 1GW of energy and can potentially be scaled to meet market demand.
Where
BOWE is currently undertaking high level technical and environmental studies to determine the best location for BOWE in north east Tasmania. BOWE will be part of the Commonwealth Governments Feasibility Licence process to gain access to an area where detailed investigations and survey’s can begin. During the seven year Feasibility Licence phase BOWE will develop the engineering design, undertake detailed environmental studies and undertake approval processes.