Supporting Australia’s offshore wind transition
The Gippsland 1 Offshore Wind Farm is a major renewable energy project located off the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. The far-shore project site is 56 kilometres from the nearest part of the Gippsland coastline, and it forms part of the national shift towards cleaner energy sources and emissions reduction.
Navigating complex approvals
AECOM is engaged by Ørsted as the Environment and Consenting Consultant, responsible for developing an approvals strategy to support a coordinated and efficient regulatory process. This includes preparing project referrals under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the Environment Effects Act 1978, providing a foundation for government assessment and decision-making.
Informing impact assessments
Our team is also delivering marine environmental surveys to collect baseline data on benthic habitats, water quality, sediment, marine mammals and seabirds. This information is essential to inform the project’s environmental impact assessments.
Given Bass Strait once served as a land bridge for travel between Tasmania and the Australian mainland, the emerging area of underwater cultural heritage is also required to be examined under the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018.
The project includes both offshore and onshore components, each with distinct regulatory requirements. Our involvement is focused on supporting Ørsted to meet these requirements while ensuring environmental considerations are understood, methodically assessed, and mitigated where required.