New partners join 2 GW offshore wind project in Bunbury Zone
A 2 GW offshore wind project off WA’s coast gains momentum as Barrington Energy and GKB join Wind with Purpose to co-develop the Catalpa Offshore Wind Farm.
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Australia: Plans for a 2 GW offshore wind farm off the coast of Western Australia have progressed with the addition of two new partners, including UK-based Barrington Energy.
Perth-based Wind with Purpose (WWP) has signed agreements with Barrington Energy and the Gnaala Karla Booja Aboriginal Corporation (GKB) to co-develop the Catalpa Offshore Wind Farm. The project, located 40 km southwest of Garden Island, falls within the Bunbury offshore wind zone, which was officially designated by Energy Minister Chris Bowen in September 2023.
The new agreement grants GKB an equity share in the project, ensuring First Nations communities have a direct stake. WWP says the partnership will create employment and training opportunities, as well as support community initiatives like the Cultural Resilience Fund and Sea Ranger Project.
WWP chair David Thomas called the partnership a milestone for both the project and Australia’s clean energy transition, emphasising its commitment to economic and social benefits for Indigenous communities.
The Australian government is still reviewing applications for feasibility licenses in the Bunbury offshore wind zone, with four projects currently under consideration. Some developers, including OceanEx Energy, Skyborn Renewables, and Alinta Energy, have withdrawn from the WA offshore wind sector, but Bowen insists interest remains strong.
Source: Renew Economy
#Australian government#Barrington Energy#Bunbury wind zone#Chris Bowen#clean energy#David Thomas#feasibility license#First Nations#offshore wind#renewable energy#Wind with Purpose