Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips has welcomed the declaration of an offshore wind zone off the coast of Illawarra.
She said the zone, located 20 kilometres off the coast and stretching from Wombarra to Kiama, would provide potential for the development of a reliable renewable energy source to power regional jobs and provide energy security for industry, businesses and homes.
“This is about getting more renewable energy into the grid, which will provide energy security and put downward pressure on power prices for everyone in Gilmore,” Mrs Phillips said.
“That’s good news for households, businesses and local jobs.”
Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen announced the zone on Saturday June 15, following extensive community consultation with local leaders, industry, unions, First Nations people, community groups and individuals in the Illawarra region.
“This is the fourth officially declared zone in the country and will unlock renewable energy jobs, energy security and job security, while supporting onshore manufacturing powered by reliable renewables,” Minister Bowen said.
“It will bring new employment opportunities to the Illawarra, creating an estimated 1,740 new jobs during construction and 870 ongoing jobs. This includes engineers, technicians, operators, riggers, seafarers, dockworkers, project managers and administrators.
“The zone will also power existing heavy industry with cleaner, cheaper energy, helping secure the future of thousands of existing industrial and associated jobs in the Illawarra as well as providing opportunities to attract new job-creating industries using clean energy.”
Mrs Phillips said the proposal had the potential to generate an estimated 2.9 GW of electricity, enough to power 1.8 million homes.
“Let me be clear, anybody that opposes offshore wind projects, opposes cheaper power prices and opposes the creation of more jobs on the South Coast,” she said.
Business Illawarra, the region’s peak business organisation, has welcomed the announcement, highlighting the opportunities for local industry and the downstream benefits for all business in the form of more affordable energy into the future.
Interim Director of Business Illawarra, Paula Martin, said the amended Offshore Wind Zone provided a positive outcome for the region’s business community and would help drive industry transformation and new innovation in clean energy.
“Business Illawarra has been working closely with its members, government, and stakeholders over the last few years to develop a platform for industry growth on the premise that offshore wind will assist to put downward pressure on energy costs for business and be an important part of this region’s industry transformation to clean energy,” she said.
“Our quarterly Business Conditions Survey has consistently shown over the last few years that rising energy costs continues to be a top issue hurting business and it shows no signs of abating.
“It is critically important that we develop renewable sources of power to take us into a net zero future.”
Ms Martin said businesses in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven could support all elements of manufacturing, technology support, infrastructure development and other aspects of the supply chain for work in the renewable energy space.
“Seizing this opportunity can drive high-value jobs, modern manufacturing, clean energy and the knowledge economy. These are all important elements of a sophisticated, modern regional city,” she said.
“Today’s announcement also presents our region with an opportunity for significant private sector investment, supported by the Australian Government’s commitment to renewable energy. “
BlueScope Steel’s general manager of manufacturing in Australia Dave Scott has also supported the offshore renewable wind zone in the Illawarra which has said had the potential to supply significant quantities of renewable energy to help underpin BlueScope's decarbonisation of iron and steelmaking in Australia.
“The transition to green energy and steelmaking is complex, relying on changes in technology and critical enablers that will need to be established, including the economy wide build out of firmed, deportable renewable energy generation and infrastructure,” he explained.
“We know that we will need large amounts of renewable energy to meet our greenhouse gas emissions intensity reduction targets and to achieve our goal of net zero by 2050.
“This announcement also supports investment in local manufacturing and job creation in the Illawarra through the building of a domestic renewable energy component supply chain, with steel being a vital component of the construction of offshore wind towers.
“So, as Australia's largest steelmaker, we are ready, willing and able to continue our collaboration with the Federal Government to accelerate our transition towards green iron and steelmaking.”
The final declared zone can be found at:
Illawarra, NSW declared offshore wind area - DCCEEW
Photo: Map of Illawarra offshore wind area showing proposed and final 1,022 square kilometre declaration area.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Katrina Condie 0437 662 967
