Fugro lands contract for Australia’s inaugural offshore wind farm
Fugro has been awarded the geophysical and geotechnical contracts for Star of the South (SOTS), Australia’s offshore wind project located off the coast of Gippsland south-east of Australia.
The project is currently in the feasibility phase and has the potential to generate up to 2.2GW of new capacity, supplying around 20% of Victoria’s energy needs and powering approximately 1.2 million homes across the state. The Victorian Government, through the Energy Innovation Fund, is partially funding the project.
The importance of knowing what’s under the seabed
According to Star of the South CEO Charles Rattray, Fugro’s ability to acquire high-quality geophysical and geotechnical data, as well as its exemplary health safety, security and environment record, were defining factors in awarding both contracts to Fugro. “Fugro has extensive experience working on offshore renewable energy projects around the world, delivering ground investigations safely and to the highest standard. Knowing what’s under the seabed in this location helps ensure that everything we do – from turbine design and placement through to construction methods – is tailored specifically to this location in Bass Strait,” said Rattray.
Fugro APAC regional business line director Shalu Shajahan expressed pride in the Fugro team’s ability to collect critical data for the project. “We are deeply committed to supporting the energy transition, climate change adaption and sustainable infrastructure development through our investigations and solutions. We are proud to be part of the Star of the South project supporting the transition to renewable energy,” Shajahan commented.
Once completed, the Star of the South project is expected to have a significant impact on Victoria’s energy sector, reducing carbon emissions and providing clean energy to the local community.
