The developer of the offshore Australian wind farm Star of the South is to conduct analysis into labour and vessels needed for the project.
The study, in conjunction with Atlas Professionals, will review the labour requirements for the up to 2200MW Star of the South during its development, construction and maintenance phases.
Analysis will address the future availability of required labour and the necessity to upgrade or train available manpower.
The report will also focus on the requirements for specialist vessels during the development, construction and maintenance phase of the project, which is back by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners.
These will be analysed against the availability of both existing and new – to be built – vessels and the competition for specialised vessels with other future offshore projects in Australia and the region.
Atlas Professionals strategic director renewables APAC region Edgare Kerkwijk said: “We are excited to work together with Star of the South and be part of the development of Australia’s first offshore wind project.”
Since starting its renewable energy activities earlier this year, Kerkwijk said the company has secured work in Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Japan.
“This is evidence that the regional offshore wind market is growing rapidly and the need for skilled manpower is growing equally fast,” he added.
Star of the South is Australia’s first proposed offshore wind farm.
On 29 March 2019, the Commonwealth Government granted the developer an exclusive exploration license to investigate the technical feasibility of constructing wind turbines in the ocean off the south coast of Gippsland, Victoria.
The up to 2200MW wind farm would generate roughly the same energy of the now-closed Hazelwood coal-fired power station and supply about eighteen per cent of the state of Victoria’s electricity requirements.
Earlier this year human resources service provider Atlas Professionals extended its services in renewables in the Asia Pacific with an offshore wind hub in Singapore.