Rewiring Australia has welcomed the federal government's announcement to boost the development of renewable energy projects by proposing new guidelines for research and demonstration licenses.
The Energy Minister Chris Bowen today unveiled the plans to offer the updated licenses, which would encourage researchers, scientists and others to research new wind technology to ensure Australia is at the cutting edge of the sector.
The licenses would be offered in all six declared offshore wind zones, including the Hunter region in New South Wales.
Rewiring Australia's founder and chief scientist Dr Saul Griffith has spent years across Australia and the USA developing and engineering innovative renewable energy technologies, including floating offshore wind.
"The development and testing of this kind of technology is critical if we are going to get the most out of it in Australia. We need to encourage investment and innovation and this is one important way to do that," Griffith said.
The federal government today said the projects might include monitoring technology to examine the feasibility of offshore wind for a region, or projects designed to demonstrate the viability of new technologies.
Importantly, it is expected to slash the cost of the initial R&D license, making early-stage projects for proving deep-water technologies more financially viable and de-risking larger-scale investment.
"Australia is in a unique position; we not only have abundant sun to support solar, but with the 6th longest coastline in the world and 85% of our population within 50km of that coast, we're well placed to scale up our offshore wind capabilities.
"A diverse mix of renewable energy will make Australia less reliant on imported fuels and expensive and aging fossil fuel plants.
"We have the ability to become a renewable energy superpower in Australia, and supporting our innovators is one of the best ways to do that. Harnessing the strong winds out to sea will help deliver clean energy around the clock, and help us close down our expensive, ageing coal power stations on time, which is good for the energy bills of all Australian households," Saul Griffith said.
The federal government today said it was seeking feedback on the proposed new guidelines from today until October 3rd.
"I commend the federal government for opening up the gates to crucial investments in offshore wind technologies with this license proposal. With the right framework to get this industry established, Australia can be a leader in this global energy opportunity," Saul Griffith said.
