An offshore wind farm consists of a group of wind turbines that are built in a formation (or array) in the ocean. Offshore wind farms transform the energy from reliable and strong winds that occur in ocean waters via the wind turbines and transport the energy onshore via seaborne cables. This renewable energy is then fed into the electricity transmission network to power homes and businesses.

The BOWE project commenced in March 2018 as a 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.

Following this, we identified a number of potential locations for the initial development of a utility scale offshore wind project within Bass Strait. A dedicated team has been working on the design and delivery of this project and is set to start the regulatory licencing process. Subject to necessary approvals, BOWE is expected to come online from 2032.

Bass Offshore Wind Energy project (BOWE), a partnership between local developer Nexsphere and Norwegian broad energy company Equinor.

Equinor, an experienced global leader in offshore wind development, recently announced first power on the 3,600 MW Dogger Bank Wind Farm off the North East coast of England. Dogger Bank is officially the world’s largest offshore wind farm, and when fully operational will be capable of powering up to 6 million UK homes each year.

Located off the coast of north-east Tasmania, BOWE is seeking to develop a multi-million-dollar offshore wind farm that is set to harness the world-class offshore wind resources in the Bass Strait, resulting in the creation of hundreds of local jobs and billions of dollars of flow-on investment in Tasmania.

The BOWE offshore wind farm, located around 30km off the coast, initially has a nameplate capacity to produce up to 1,500 megawatts of renewable energy and is anticipated to generate 8000 GWh per year. This will help to power the State’s homes and businesses, as well as assisting in meeting Tasmania’s 200 per cent renewables target by 2040.”

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

The total area of the wind farm will be determined during a Feasibility Assessment, which is expected to occur between 2024 and 2027.

BOWE’s initial wind farm will have 70-100 turbines.

The model of wind turbine being used for BOWE will be confirmed once technical assessments are completed. At this stage, it is expected that the rotation diameter of the wind blades will be 222 metres, with 108-metre-long blades. The height of the turbine will depend on the final location.

The BOWE wind farm will be located 30 kilometres off the coast of Tasmania in the Bass Strait. It will have a minimal visual impact and be difficult to see from land. The wind farm will also have no noise impact at this distance.

The BOWE wind farm will be sufficiently distanced away from the communities of Flinders and Cape Barren Islands so that there will be minimal, if any, visual impact. The wind farm will also have no noise impact at this distance.

The BOWE windfarm initially has a nameplate capacity to produce up to 1,500 megawatts of renewable energy and anticipated to generate 8000 GWh per year, enough to power over 325,000 homes and will assist in transitioning Australia’s grid to a low carbon future.

As a result, the BOWE windfarm will reduce over 2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions annually, contributing to Australia’s net zero emissions by 2050 and Tasmania’s 200% renewable energy by 2040 targets.

Subject to state and federal government approval, the BOWE project will have the capacity to expand to meet increased customer demand for green energy.

The green energy produced by BOWE can be used by:

• Local Tasmanian businesses and industrial customers supplied through our connection to the TasNetworks electricity grid.
• Industrial hydrogen customers and users based at the Bell Bay Hydrogen Hub, who will use the green electrons produced by BOWE to manufacture hydrogen and green ammonia for export to Asia.
• Industrial and corporate customers in mainland Australia who are seeking to transition from coal-generated electricity sources.

BOWE proposes to connect to the mainland through access to the Marinus Link transmission cable being developed by TasNetworks.

The benefits of the BOWE project for Tasmanian communities are scoped to include:

• Supporting Australia’s transition to a decarbonised economy, with contribution to Tasmania’s world-leading 200% renewable energy goal
• Resultant economic investment into north-eastern Tasmania
• A new industry for Tasmania alongside the Hydrogen Hub, resulting in hundreds of jobs in construction and operation
• A local head office based in the Launceston region
• Working with local environmental researchers and specialists with the goal to protect and share waters
• Commitment to a local focus within Tasmania and Australia regarding jobs manufacturing and supply chain
• Research and development opportunities across biophysical, engineering, technology and sustainability research streams
• We will share with the community the outputs of a full social impact analysis. We are also reviewing how best the BOWE project can benefit local communities, and we are interested to hear your ideas at our community engagement sessions.

Wherever possible, we are committed to using a local labour force during construction. For visiting workers, suitable accommodation will be identified in consultation with key community groups.

Initial environmental assessments have been undertaken for the region which have also guided the zone selection process. The project will undergo a comprehensive environment and planning approvals process in consultation with state and federal regulatory agencies prior to commercial license approval and commencement of any construction. Detailed environmental investigations to gather information about the zone area, and areas surrounding the zone area, will be completed during the Feasibility Assessment, which is expected to occur between 2025 and 2032. These studies will be reviewed by Tasmanian and Federal authorities and will meet legal and regulatory requirements.

This will depend on laws and regulations that are still being drafted by the Federal Government. Current legislation suggests fishing may be considered within a distance from the turbines that is designated as safe. This legislation will also determine movements around the wind farm by ocean vessels.

Initial desktop investigations on bird life impacts from the BOWE project have been conducted by local experts, and discussions with leading avian researchers are ongoing. Detailed site investigations on bird migration patterns and species of concern will be completed during the Feasibility Assessment, which is expected to occur between 2025 and 2032. BOWE is committed to open discussion throughout the project to engage in knowledge sharing with interested parties. We are examining the latest technologies and will invest in site-specific research and development with the goal to reduce negative impacts to bird species.

An initial investigation into sea life impacts from the BOWE project has already been conducted by experts in the field. Detailed environmental investigations will be completed during the Feasibility Assessment period, which is expected to occur between 2024 and 2027, and will include detailed assessments on any potential impacts on flora and fauna.

We are committed to project transparency, collaboration, and communication with stakeholders and landholders. Information on project activities will be provided regularly, a detailed strategy for collaboration and communication with stakeholders and landholders is under development.

You can also provide feedback at any time during the project by emailing hello@bassoffshorewindenergy.com.

Visit the Commonwealth Government website for the Northern Tasmania Renewable Energy Zone
Offshore wind in Australia – DCCEEW