ESSEN/MELBOURNE (dpa-AFX) - The energy group RWE has secured the license for a large wind farm project off the coast of Australia. According to the company, it has been awarded the seven-year right to develop an offshore facility off the state of Victoria in the south-east of the continent. The site is located 67 kilometers off the coast with average water depths of 59 meters.

Following the development of the project, which includes soil investigations, RWE would still have to apply for a commercial license for construction and operation. This would be valid for up to 40 years. According to the company, the leased area awarded to RWE has the potential for an electricity capacity of up to two gigawatts. This means that up to 1.6 million households in Australia could be supplied with green electricity.

RWE has been active in Australia for some time

The project is still at an early stage. A power purchase agreement still needs to be concluded before it can be fully implemented. Construction could start in the early 2030s.

RWE has already been active Down Under for some time. The Essen-based company is developing several onshore wind farm projects there. The energy group also already operates a large solar park in Australia with a capacity of 249 megawatts. A battery storage facility is to be built right next to it.

"Australia is a very attractive growth market for renewable energies," says RWE manager Sven Utermohlen. "With the Kent project, we are developing one of the first offshore wind farms off the Australian coast, in line with our strategy of further expanding our green portfolio in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region."/wdw/DP/jha