Cork-based Simply Blue among backers of offshore wind project in Australia

Simply Blue is part of a consortium of global wind energy consultants behind Sea Fern, which aims to generate up to 2GW off the coast of New South Wales

Simply Blue and Subsea7 have previously worked together to develop one of Scotland’s most advanced floating offshore wind projects, the Salamander Offshore Wind Farm.

Cork-headquartered renewable energy company Simply Blue Group has announced plans to develop the Sea Fern floating offshore wind project off the coast of Australia.

Simply Blue is part of a consortium of global wind energy consultants including Subsea7 and Spark Renewables behind Sea Fern, which aims to generate up to 2GW (gigawatts) in the newly-dedicated Hunter region for renewable energy developments off the coast of New South Wales in the Pacific Ocean.

This latest project adds to Simply Blue’s portfolio of more than 10GW of floating wind under development and other successful projects. The company has offices in Cork, Dublin, Newquay, Pembrokeshire, Edinburgh, Hamburg, Bilbao, Oregon and Nova Scotia.

The Sea Fern project is currently at the inception phase and backers are applying for a Feasibility Licence under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021.

The seven-year feasibility licence period will enable the consortium to undertake the necessary technical, environmental and social impact studies, approvals and consultation, to ensure the project will be viable.

The developers hope to start construction of the wind farm by 2030 if they are successful in receiving this licence. Operations are then expected to run through to the 2060s and beyond.

Subsea7 has more than a decade experience in offshore wind installations and has completed more than 1,000 projects worldwide.

Simply Blue and Subsea7 have previously worked together to develop one of Scotland’s most advanced floating offshore wind projects, the Salamander Offshore Wind Farm.

Spark Renewables is one of Australia’s main green energy developers and owners of renewable assets.

Meanwhile, renewable energy firms in Ireland welcomed the recent launch of the long-awaited Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (Mara), a State agency responsible for licensing marine surveys and for deciding on applications from developers for Maritime Area Consents.

“Mara will be a key enabler supporting delivery of projects of strategic importance including offshore renewable energy, ports development, cabling and telecoms projects, and many uses of the maritime area,” said Mara chief executive Laura Brien.