Parkwind and Australian utility Alinta Energy have launched a new venture to develop the 1GW+ Spinifex Offshore Wind Farm in the Southern Ocean Region Declared Area in South West Victoria.
Under the agreement, Alinta Energy and JERA Nex, the newly launched renewable energy company created by Parkwind’s parent company JERA, will apply their respective expertise and capabilities to jointly develop the Spinifex Project.
The parties have identified a site for the project (pictured below) and will continue engaging with local stakeholders to refine their proposal and progress the project.
Alinta Energy managing director and chief executive Jeff Dimery said he was excited to work with the JERA Nex team who bring strong experience as developers and operators.
He said: “JERA and Parkwind both have a great track-record in offshore wind and has pioneered some impressive engineering and construction techniques.
“We love that spirit and the launch of JERA Nex, bringing the two companies’ renewable expertise together, is exactly what we’ll need in Australia to build a new industry from the ground up.
“The other thing that attracted us to JERA Nex was its shared vision for ensuring the project benefits communities in south west Victoria.”
Francois Van Leeuw, vice president of development & construction offshore at JERA Nex and co-cheif executive of Parkwind, added: “There is huge potential for offshore wind in Australia and we’re confident that the combination of Alinta Energy’s local expertise and experience and our offshore credentials provide a strong foundation for this project.
“We’re looking forward to working closely with the local community to bring clean, sustainable energy to Australian homes and businesses.”
The team at JERA Nex, of which Parkwind plays a central part, has experience of in offshore wind and in developing supply chains for new offshore wind regions.
JERA Nex owns and operates seven wind farms across the world including in Belgium, Germany, the UK, Japan and Taiwan, and has a significant global pipeline.
A local supply chain and industry development study completed by the project in 2023 estimated the project could contribute up to AUS$1.6bn during the construction period and AUS$40m per year in operation to the regional economy.
RBC Capital Markets and Rothschild & Co acted as joint financial advisors and Clayton Utz acted as legal advisor to Alinta Energy. Ashurst acted as legal advisor to Parkwind.