This story falls in bucket B, licensing and portfolio moves. Victoria has launched Australia's first offshore wind auction and opened a request for proposals for 2 GW of capacity off the Gippsland coast.
Developers can now bid for contracts, with proposals assessed on value for money, deliverability, and benefits for local workers, businesses, and communities. The process remains open until August 2027, and the state expects to award contracts in 2028.
The auction provides a route toward Victoria's longer term target of 9 GW of offshore wind capacity through Australia's Electricity Services Entry Mechanism. Victoria had planned to begin its first tender in September 2025, but delayed the process after feasibility licence setbacks, the rejection of an initial referral for the Port of Hastings, and uncertainty across the global market.
The tender gives developers a defined schedule for Australia's first commercial offshore wind awards while coal generation retires in Victoria. Its assessment criteria also put local supply chains and execution risk alongside price, factors that will shape which Gippsland projects advance to contract.