RWE acknowledges Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders, past and present.
RWE is a world leader in offshore wind
Headquartered in Essen, Germany, RWE is a leading offshore wind developer and operator in the energy sector with more than 125-year history leading the industry. With a current portfolio of 19 offshore wind farms and a pro-rata installed capacity of about 3.3 GW globally, we intend to more than double our global offshore wind capacity to 10 GW by 2030.
As a developer with the "build-to-operate" mentality, to date, we maintain over 1,000+ offshore turbines in operation and we calculate that these are saving the planet more than 10 million tonnes of CO2 annually. Currently, we are constructing the 1.4GW Sofia Wind Farm in the UK and 1GW Thor Wind Farm in the North Sea. These new offshore wind capacities will contribute significantly to our mission to decarbonize the planet. Read more about our international offshore wind projects here.
https://www.rwe.com/en/our-energy/discover-renewables/offshore-wind/
RWE in Australia
The RWE Group entered the Australian market in 2018 with the construction of one of the country's largest solar farms - the 249 MW Limondale Solar Farm in New South Wales, which has been operational since 2021. In 2023, we achieved an additional success for Limondale with the award of a Long-Term Energy Service Agreement (LTESA) to deliver and operate Australia's first eight-hour battery within the existing project site.
Our commitment to Australia is not in doubt as we plan to invest around 6 billion Australian dollars by 2030, to develop up to 3 GW of onshore wind, solar and battery projects across the country. Furthermore, RWE is also committed to supporting the further development of offshore wind in Australia, which is solidified by our recent success in securing the feasibility licence of RWE's Kent Offshore Wind Project off the Gippsland coast in Victoria State. Our ambition is to support the Australian Government to achieve their net zero target and to assist State Governments to electrify and decarbonise. We have a strong focus on working with and making positive contributions to the communities where our projects are based, as well as being a key driver of Australia's energy transition.
To know more about RWE Group and RWE Australia, please click here.
https://au.rwe.com/rwe-renewables-australia/
Kent Offshore Wind Farm
RWE is seeking to develop an offshore wind farm close to the Kent Islands in the Bass Strait, off Victoria's Gippsland coast.
In July 2024 the project was awarded a feasibility licence from the Australian Government under Offshore Electricity Infrastructure ACT 2021. The feasibility licence grants RWE the exclusive right in the Kent offshore wind site to obtain approvals under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999, and undertake environmental assessments, and geological and metocean surveys. Metocean surveys involve the collection and analysis of meteorological (weather) and oceanographic (sea) data. Before a commercial license for construction and electricity generation can be considered, the feasibility of the project must be thoroughly assessed.
Engagement with the first nations groups and key stakeholders will also be a continuous focus to shape the project and create mutual benefits, with feedback playing a crucial role in the project's development. Another key milestone at a later stage will be to secure an offtake agreement, to sell the energy produced by the wind farm.
The project's license area is about 412 square kilometres and within Australia's first designated offshore wind zone, located about 67 kilometres off the coast.
The license area has the potential to host a wind farm that can deliver up to two gigawatts (GW) of capacity. This is enough to power up to 1.6 million Australian homes with green electricity.
Key benefits of the Bass Strait location include:
- Consistent and strong winds that blow at times of the day when demand for electricity is at its highest.
- Water depths of about 50-60 metres.
- Access to the strongest transmission connection point in the National Electricity Market (NEM).
Offshore substations, subsea cables, onshore substations and the onshore cable route are currently planned to connect to the proposed VicGrid shared connection point which would connect the wind farm to the Latrobe Valley or other areas in Gippsland.
The Kent offshore wind farm is expected to become operational in the first half of the 2030s, subject to the timing of the planning and approvals process, secured offtake as well as grid connection.
Potential Opportunities
The deployment of commercial scale offshore wind is an integral part of that green energy future, just as it has the potential to positively impact the Victorian and Australian economies with thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
RWE want to put our effort for building up the local content for Australia, hear from local businesses and extend the local supply chain, we are also working to partner with universities for training and apprenticeships.
Further opportunities for local companies and future high skilled labour positions will be created through various downstream activities, potentially including the following:
- Social and Environmental Sustainability advisor
- Different packages (Wind turbine, Foundation, Offshore Substations, Onshore Substation, Cable, O&M etc.)
- Stakeholder Management, EIA, Consent & Permit
- Wind and Metocean surveyor
- Port, On-site Management
- Marine Vessels expertise.
HOW TO REGISTER AN EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI)
- To submit an EOI, companies must have an ICN Gateway company profile. Information on how to register your company on ICN Gateway is detailed below.
- The services, programmes and initiatives provided by ICN Victoria are aimed at complementing a company's existing Sales, Marketing and Business Development strategy and any EOI submitted should not be considered as an alternative to these activities.
ICN GATEWAY COMPANY REGISTRATION
- Click here to register your company profile on ICN Gateway.
- Support and assistance are available through the web links listed below.
- An ICN Gateway company profile that accurately and effectively summarises your company is critical to using the services of the ICN Group - please ensure that your company invests the time and energy required to represent your company in the most effective manner possible.
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1) Gateway by ICN Setup Wizard
3) Gateway by ICN EOI User Guide
KENT OFFSHORE WIND PTY. LTD.
VIC Australia
Project Primary Contact
Express interest for the below Balance of Plant service opportunities:
- Foundation inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR)
- Robotics and autonomous systems (RAS) for remote IMR
- Foundation associated corrosion protection system inspection
- Transition piece, tower and access systems inspection
- Inspection and maintenance of above and underwater components
- Corrective maintenance above and below water
- Service and inspection of davit crane
- Substation inspection, maintenance and repair (e.g. non-intrusive inspections of switchgear and transformers, oil sampling, structural inspections)
- Cable/ CPS inspections and monitoring (e.g. ROV DoB surveys, Thermal and electrical performance monitoring)
- Cable repair/ replacement services (e.g. Mobilization of repair vessels and equipment, Testing and commissioning of repaired sections)
- Cable fault finding & diagnostics
- Bathymetric scour and seabed surveys
- Maintenance of cable burial and scour protection integrity
- Spare cable storage
Note: You can fill out an Expression of Interest form exclusively on a computer or laptop device.
Express interest for the below General Services opportunities:
- Construction vehicle supply/hire
- General truck hire
- Steel fabrication, welding, and assembly
- Small equipment hire (e.g. generators, pumps)
- Diving services for sensitive or complex inspection and repairs
- Helicopter Hire
- Personal protective equipment (PPE), fall arrest system supply
- Signage supply (for O&M base and warehouse)
- Recycling and waste management services
- Office consumables supply (e.g., stationery, cleaning products)
- Hospitality events, functions, catering, mobile food supply, on-site canteen
- Cleaning services (operation phase)
- Labor hire (e.g., electrical, mechanical, general labor, maintenance staff)
- Professional services (e.g. Consultancy, Digital Twin services)
- IT infrastructure Installations
- Access control and CCTV system
- 4G/5G comms network coverage for the offshore wind farm
- Radio communication equipment supply
Note: You can fill out an Expression of Interest form exclusively on a computer or laptop device.
We would like to hear about your interest and capabilities to provide services in any of the following areas:
- Metocean study and modelling
- Wave and current measurement
- Wind resource assessment
- Offshore, onshore geophysical and geotechnical surveys
- Laboratory testing and storage of soil samples
- Explosive ordinance survey and disposal
Note: You can fill out an Expression of Interest form exclusively on a computer or laptop device.
We would like to hear about your interest and capabilities to provide services in any of the following areas:
- Detail Design, EPC / EPCI service
- Topsides fabrication
- Foundation fabrication
- HV (AC, DC) switchgear supply
- LV / auxiliary systems
- Telecommunications
- Davit cranes
- Inter-array and export cable supply
- Cable jointing, termination, and testing
- Cable monitoring and protection
- Transportation, installation
Note: You can fill out an Expression of Interest form exclusively on a computer or laptop device.
We would like to hear about your interest and capabilities to provide services in any of the following areas:
- Detail Design, EPC / EPCI services
- HV (AC, DC) switchgear supply
- Onshore export cable supply
- LV / auxiliary systems
- Mechanical, plumbing systems
- Telecommunications
- Construction, site management
- Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD)
Note: You can fill out an Expression of Interest form exclusively on a computer or laptop device.
Express interest for the below Turbine Services and Maintenance opportunities:
- Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for external inspection of turbines (e.g., drones with qualified pilots)
- Rope access inspector
- Large component repair vessels (e.g. Jack-up barge) for major component replacement
- Major component off-site refurbishment
Note: You can fill out an Expression of Interest form exclusively on a computer or laptop device.
We would like to hear about your interest and capabilities to provide services in any of the following areas:
Vessels:
- Design, new-build and retrofit
- Wind Turbine Installation Vessels (WTIV's)
- Heavy Transport and Heavy Lift Vessels (HTV's, HLV's)
- Crew Transfer Vessels (CTV's)
- Service Operation Vessels (SOV's)
- Cable Laying Vessels (CLV's)
- Guard vessels
- Tugboats and barge
Ports and logistics:
- Berth development and remediation
- Storage and laydown area construction
- Administration, warehouse, welfare, storage facility construction
- Marine coordination
- Aviation
- Provision of dedicated berths for service operation vessels (SOVs) or crew transfer vessels (CTVs)
- Cargo handling and storage: Loading and unloading services
- Quayside services: e.g. Access to shore power and water supply
- Waste disposal and recycling services
- Crane services
- Lifting equipment
- Provision of fueling services for vessels (both marine diesel and clean fuel)
- Clean fuel options (decarbonisation option)
Note: You can fill out an Expression of Interest form exclusively on a computer or laptop device.
We would like to hear about your interest and capabilities to provide services in any of the following areas:
- Detail Design, EPC / EPCI services
- Jackets, monopiles, transition pieces
- Primary steel, secondary steel
- Davit cranes
- Cathodic protection
- Transportation, installation
- Structural monitoring systems
Note: You can fill out an Expression of Interest form exclusively on a computer or laptop device.
We would like to hear about your interest and capabilities to provide services in any of the following areas:
- Blade, tower, nacelle manufacturing
- Supply of nacelle components
- Assembly
- Transportation, installation
- Installation and commissioning
Note: You can fill out an Expression of Interest form exclusively on a computer or laptop device.
We would like to hear about your interest and capabilities to provide services in any of the following areas:
- Feasibility studies
- Conceptual design
- Front-end engineering design (FEED)
- 3rd party design review and certification
- Electrical system impact analysis
- Grid compliance
- Onshore infrastructure real estate advisory
- Construction and O&M ports and logistics assessment
- Gap analysis on codes and standards
- General advisory and management of project approvals
- General management of environmental impact assessment (EIA) survey campaigns
- Subject matter expertise on focused topics
- Cultural heritage investigation
- Monitoring equipment, vessels, operations, and supervision of environmental and underwater cultural heritage surveys
Note: You can fill out an Expression of Interest form exclusively on a computer or laptop device.
