Sydney, 7 October 2022 – BlueFloat Energy and Energy Estate, the developers of the Hunter Coast Offshore Wind Project are excited to announce that they have expanded the size of the project from 1.4GW to 1.65GW and released the visual simulation for it.   Located between 20 and 50 kilometres off the Hunter-Central Coast region of New South Wales (NSW), the project will use floating offshore wind technology.    

The Hunter Coast Offshore Wind Project is within the region identified by the Australian Federal Government as one of the six areas to be assessed for suitability for offshore wind developments. On 30 September 2022, the New South Wales Government released the draft declaration for the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone, which shows the potential Commonwealth offshore wind zone off the NSW coast.

Expansion of Hunter Coast OWP

The increase in the capacity of the Hunter Coast Offshore Wind Project to 1.65GW is a result of the detailed analysis of the investigation area previously announced by the developers and its potential for deployment of floating offshore wind technology.  The expansion factors in the potential size of the Commonwealth offshore wind zone, the region’s robust grid capacity and the accelerated retirement of coal-fired energy generation in NSW. It also supports the momentum behind investment in renewable energy created by the new Federal Government as demonstrated by the rapid passage of the Climate Change Bill which enshrines into law emissions reductions of 43% below 2005 levels by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050.  

Carlos Martin, CEO of BlueFloat Energy noted “Since we started the development of the Hunter Coast Offshore Wind Project in 2020 the need for new, large-scale generation capacity in the Hunter-Central Coast region has accelerated – with the retirement date for the existing coal-fired power stations moving forward by decades.  I was delighted to meet stakeholders in Newcastle earlier this year and understand first-hand the role that offshore wind can play in the clean energy future for the region, supporting existing energy users, replacing thermal generation and powering new industries like green hydrogen exports and clean manufacturing. “

Visual Simulation

The simulation for the project (available on the project website – https://huntercoastowp.com.au ) was produced by Plain Concepts, a worldwide technology pioneer in the use of a 3D graphics development engine that uses physically based renders that create a unique level of realism. The resulting visual simulation allows you to see how the proposed 110 turbines will look like from 10 iconic points along the coast, both during the day and at night.  

In June this year the developers released the visual simulation for their Greater Gippsland Offshore Wind Project in Victoria which is produced using the same technology and will release visual simulations for their other sites in Australia and New Zealand in the coming months.

Nick Sankey, Country Manager for the Energy Estate and BlueFloat Energy partnership in Australia, said “We want to be upfront and show coastal communities and users of the sea what our projects will look like.  For this reason, we have prioritised preparing and releasing accurate visual simulations of our projects. The process to create the 3D simulation involves the use of panoramic photographs (taken by a local photographer) from a number of locations, trigonometry, data points and digital technology. The output is a realistic and scientifically rigorous visual representation of an offshore wind project.” added Mr Sankey. A visual guide to the methodology used to develop visual simulations is available here (https://youtu.be/1-MabhMM7Ec ).

Rosie King, Director of Partnerships at Energy Estate, commented ”Energy Estate is committed to the transformation of the Hunter-Central Coast region into a clean energy powerhouse – from the Upper Hunter to the coast.   We work closely with local stakeholders and we want the communities’ input into the design of our projects.  I am personally excited to release the visual simulation for the Hunter Coast OWP.  Our team carefully chose the points along the coast so that you could view the proposed project from different perspectives.

Our vision is that by collaborating with local government, industry and communities and other offshore wind proponents we can create a thriving offshore wind manufacturing, construction and service industry in the Hunter-Central Coast region.”

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About BlueFloat Energy

BlueFloat Energy is developing offshore wind projects in various regions of the world, where it can implement its vision: to accelerate global deployment of offshore wind as a key enabler for the energy transition and economic growth. Founded by renewable energy professionals, BlueFloat Energy brings together remarkable team expertise in the design, development, financing, construction and execution of offshore wind projects. 

For more information please visit: https://bluefloat.wpengine.com             

About Energy Estate

Energy Estate’s mission is to accelerate the transformation of the energy sector and the decarbonisation of industry.  We are developing and accelerating a portfolio of renewable energy, storage and green hydrogen projects in Australia, NZ, US and other markets.  A key driver for Energy Estate is supporting the communities in which we operate and delivering enduring outcomes for all stakeholders including landowners, workers and traditional owners.  We believe passionately in the opportunities to revitalise industrial communities through low-carbon solutions and clean industrial precincts.  

For more information please visit: http://energyestate.com