The Aurora Green Offshore Wind Project is a 3GW offshore wind development in Victoria, Australia, led by Iberdrola Australia. It is planned to utilise wind resources in the Bass Strait to deliver electricity into the National Electricity Market.
The project is expected to supply renewable energy to over 2.25 million Australian homes. It is among the first commercial-scale offshore wind developments in Australia and is designed to support energy supply and decarbonisation targets.
Project Location
The project site is located in Commonwealth waters off the Gippsland coast in Victoria. Aurora Green is situated at least 25km offshore, between Seaspray and Woodside Beach, within the Gippsland Offshore Wind Zone.
The development covers approximately 700km² of sea area in water depths ranging from 40m to 60m. The offshore location was selected to balance access to wind resources with reduced visual and environmental impact on coastal areas.
Aurora Green Offshore Wind Project Capacity and Infrastructure
Aurora Green is planned with an installed capacity of up to 3GW using approximately 150 offshore wind turbines, each rated at around 20MW. The turbines will be connected by inter-array cables operating at up to 132kV, linking them to offshore transformer substations.
Each phase of development will include an offshore substation to consolidate power from the turbines before transmitting it through subsea export cables rated up to 330kV.
These cables will deliver electricity to an onshore substation near Giffard, where voltage will be increased for integration into the Victorian electricity grid through VicGrid’s transmission infrastructure.
The design and layout of cable routes were informed by marine and seabed surveys to minimise environmental disturbance and enable efficient power transmission to the grid.
Offshore substations and subsea cables are expected to incorporate systems designed to reduce electromagnetic field impacts and allow co-existence with marine activities such as fishing.
Development and Timeline
A feasibility licence was awarded in July 2024 under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act. This licence enables Iberdrola Australia to carry out site investigations, detailed technical studies, and stakeholder engagement.
In early 2025, preliminary environmental assessments commenced, including baseline studies on marine mammals, birdlife, seabed geology, benthic habitats, and meteorological conditions.
In mid-2025, a floating LiDAR buoy and wave-measurement buoy were deployed to gather wind, wave, and oceanographic data over a 12‑month period. These systems will collect high-resolution datasets to inform foundation engineering, turbine spacing, and operational planning. Seabed sampling campaigns and geophysical surveys are also scheduled to assess sediment properties and potential cable burial depths.
In July 2025, the Offshore Infrastructure Regulator approved Iberdrola Australia’s feasibility-stage Management Plan for Aurora Green.
The approval enabled the deployment of monitoring equipment, including a Floating Light Detection and Ranging (FLiDAR) buoy, to collect high-resolution data on wind speed, direction, temperature, and atmospheric pressure.
The offshore wind project will be developed in three phases of approximately 1GW each. Each phase will require separate regulatory assessments and approvals under Commonwealth and Victorian planning frameworks.
The first phase is scheduled to begin commercial operations by 2032, subject to final investment decisions, environmental permits, and grid connection agreements.
Construction timelines are expected to be phased to align with VicGrid’s planned transmission network upgrades and availability of port and fabrication facilities.
Aurora Green Offshore Wind Project Technological Details
The project’s foundation and turbine designs will be informed by data collected from floating LiDAR systems and wave-monitoring buoys.
Turbine units rated at 20MW each will form part of a high-voltage transmission network that includes offshore transformer substations and submarine export cables rated up to 330kV.
Subsea cables will incorporate protection measures such as trenching or rock placement in areas with potential shipping and anchoring activity.
Substations and Transmission Cables
Each 1GW phase will involve the installation of an offshore substation that aggregates power from inter-array cables at 132kV.
Electricity will then be transmitted via subsea export cables to the onshore substation, where voltage will be increased and linked to VicGrid’s shared transmission line infrastructure.
The routing of cables and placement of substations have been guided by technical assessments and environmental studies to reduce interference with marine ecosystems and coastal activities.
Contractors and Suppliers
The project will require engagement with multiple contractors and suppliers for turbine manufacturing, foundation installation, cable production, and substation construction. Procurement strategies are being developed to align with local supply chain capabilities and Commonwealth requirements for offshore wind development.
Contractor appointments and procurement processes are expected to progress after feasibility studies and environmental approvals are completed.
