Ocean Winds, a joint venture specialising in offshore wind, has launched its first oceanographic and meteorological measurement campaign in Australia as part of the High Sea Wind project, located off the Gippsland region in the state of Victoria. This programme, conducted in partnership with TGS, a global provider of energy data, aims to collect detailed information on local marine conditions.
A LiDAR buoy for high-precision data
Measurements will be carried out using a floating buoy equipped with advanced sensors, developed by EOLOS. This equipment will record data on wind, waves, currents and various environmental parameters within the project’s feasibility licence area. Information will be quality-checked daily under a rigorous protocol and shared with project partners.
The data collected will help guide critical decisions related to infrastructure design, turbine selection, environmental impact assessments and grid integration. The use of floating measurement technology reflects a planning strategy based on direct site observation.
Strengthening regional and industrial capacities
By providing reliable information on the marine environment off south-east Australia, the campaign also aims to build trust with local stakeholders. Ocean Winds plans to use these results to stimulate the regional supply chain and foster economic opportunities for local businesses. The project could also create specialised jobs in engineering, construction and data analysis.
The High Sea Wind project has a planned capacity of 1.3 GW, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of one million households in the state of Victoria. According to figures shared by the project developers, the installation could avoid up to 5.3 mn tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
A strategy for expansion in the Australian market
The campaign marks a strategic step for Ocean Winds as it strengthens its presence in the Australian offshore wind market. The company sees data collection as a key pillar of project success and a response to expectations from regulators, investors and stakeholders.
“We believe robust data is the foundation of responsible development,” said Pelayo Rodriguez Alonso, Head of Business Development APAC at Ocean Winds. The approach adopted for High Sea Wind follows a technical logic designed to support future decisions around the project.
