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28 December 2023
Offshore Wind in Australia is gaining significant attention as the country explores renewable energy options with Star of the South leading the way. Here is Erin Coldham, Chief Development Officer at Star of the South, with more.
It goes without saying that the last couple of years witnessed numerous countries taking another look into their energy infrastructure to ensure it withstands the upcoming decades – and Australia is no different. Australia is often regarded as a nation heavily reliant on traditional energy sources. However, the country is increasingly looking to a future powered by renewables. Given the unique advantages of the continent, offshore wind stands out as a promising energy source. Star of the South leads the nation's transition in this direction.
Star of the South is a 2.2-gigawatt offshore wind farm that is being developed off the coast of Victoria, Australia. The offshore wind farm is projected to generate enough electricity to power over 1.2 million homes and provide thousands of jobs across communities in Australia. Erin, leveraging her expertise in infrastructure and project management, is confident that the project will successfully deliver on its goals.
Erin details how well things have been going for Star of the South and the recent inroads the team have made: “The project is still in the early stages of development, but we have made significant progress in recent years. We secured an exploration licence in 2019, have completed environmental studies, and recently conducted a six-week offshore geotechnical survey. We are confident that Star of the South will be a major contributor to Australia's clean energy transition.”
A Guide for Offshore Wind Professionals
Thanks to our decades of experience within the Offshore Wind industry and global footprint, Atlas Professionals can assist Star of the South locally in Australia with many of their early personnel requirements, but the extent of our collaboration does not stop there. Just like Erin mentioned: “I believe our partnership and relationship with Atlas is rooted in our shared values and our commitment to achieving positive outcomes for the industry.”
The relationship between Star of the South and Atlas Professionals has yielded many fruits but none have been as widely recognized and perhaps cherished by the Offshore Wind Jobs Guide (“Guide”). We are incredibly honoured and humbled that the joint effort between Star of the South and Atlas Professionals has won the Industry Collaboration Award at the Subsea Energy Australia Business Awards 2023.
Conceptualised as the premier source for all that is related to understanding the many jobs would be offered by the Offshore Wind industry, the Offshore Wind Jobs Guide continues to serve as a handy tool for many Professionals who are looking into transitioning into this ever-growing industry. Erin details how the Guide has made tangible changes within several communities and the Australian Offshore Wind industry in general: “When we discussed opportunities within the Offshore Wind industry with different communities, we realised that communicating the breadth of options and how feasible it is to transition or upskill was challenging. People just don’t have the necessary information to understand the opportunities this industry presents. So, what we did was create profiles for almost 60 specific jobs, detailing skills and education requirements, where to get necessary certifications, and more. Today, we have global colleagues reaching out, asking about implementing something similar themselves. It’s been a real success!”
The Future of Energy in Australia
Of course, a core reason why the Guide is and will be a significant resource for professional growth is the fact that the landscape of Energy industry in Australia is changing – and Offshore Wind is poised to be one of the most significant Energy sources for the country.
However, change does not happen overnight, and Erin knows some of the core challenges she and her team have to tackle before Australia witnesses tangible effects of these developments: “My days are usually all about moving the project forward, step by step. Typically, what I might do in a day is look at all the development activities, ranging all the way from building up industry capabilities, looking at stakeholder engagement, working with our team on things like permitting and regulatory processes, and more. There are many avenues we have to consider and even though many aspects of our industry are in constant progress, we still have much to do.”
Now that the team has favourable winds at their back, the future looks exciting for Star of the South: “In the coming years, Start of the South is hoping to achieve the milestones of securing approvals and a final investment decision for the Star of the South project. We are also working to develop other offshore wind projects in Australia. We believe that offshore wind has the potential to play a major role in Australia's clean energy transition, and we are committed to making it a reality.”
As for her professional life? Erin seems to be very content with how things are going and is looking forward to contributing to the overall state of Offshore Wind in Australia: “We are doing something great with the Star of the South, and I believe that if we do it in the right way, we will get a chance to make a real difference with many communities in Australia – and I think we will stand back and be very proud what we've achieved.”
