Offshore Wind Tenure in Australia: Resolving Overlapping Applications 

A broad cross section of stakeholders in the nascent Australian offshore wind industry are eagerly awaiting a response from the Commonwealth Minister for Climate Change and Energy (the Minister) and the Offshore Infrastructure Registrar (the Registrar) in respect of 37 applications submitted earlier this year for the award of licences to assess the feasibility of offshore wind projects proposed to be carried out within an area of approximately 15,000km2 off Gippsland, Victoria (the Declared Gippsland Region). The Declared Gippsland Region is the first declared area for offshore wind development in Australia.

A broad cross section of stakeholders in the nascent Australian offshore wind industry are eagerly awaiting a response from the Commonwealth Minister for Climate Change and Energy (the Minister) and the Offshore Infrastructure Registrar (the Registrar) in respect of 37 applications submitted earlier this year for the award of licences to assess the feasibility of offshore wind projects proposed to be carried out within an area of approximately 15,000km2 off Gippsland, Victoria (the Declared Gippsland Region). The Declared Gippsland Region is the first declared area for offshore wind development in Australia.

In anticipation of the Minister and Registrar’s response, and ultimately their licence grant offers, global law firm, DLA Piper, and project and infrastructure specialist advisory firm, Create Advisory, have teamed up to provide their views on an important imminent consideration for applicants, namely preparing for and addressing the prospect of overlapping feasibility licence applications and how the process is likely to play out for the first time in Australia.

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