Global Offshore Wind Alliance welcomes State of Victoria as first sub-national member

The Global Offshore Wind Alliance (GOWA) was founded by Denmark, IRENA, and GWEC with the ambition to create a global driving force for the uptake of offshore wind through political mobilisation and the creation of a global community of practice. The aim of GOWA is to contribute to achieving a total global offshore wind capacity of at least 380 GW by 2030, with 35 GW on average each year across the 2020s and a minimum of 70 GW each year from 2030.

GOWA’s vision is a world in which offshore wind makes a significant contribution to the energy transition and the achievement of the sustainable development goals through large-scale renewable power generation, benefiting regions, countries and critical sectors such as industry and transportation.

Lily D’Ambrosio, Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources said: “Victoria’s application to join the Global Offshore Wind Alliance as the first sub-national member is testament to our world leading offshore wind targets and unmatched natural wind resources.”

“We look forward to working with our partner countries and organisations to support the acceleration and delivery of offshore wind energy in the APAC region and across the globe.”

Pernille Dahler Kardel, Danish Ambassador to Australia, said, “We are happy to welcome the state of Victoria onboard as the first subnational government to join GOWA.

“This truly strengthens the multi-stakeholder nature of the alliance, which brings together a wide range of stakeholders in order to accelerate offshore wind deployment globally through political mobilisation and the creation of a global community of practice.

“I look forward to further deepening our collaboration with the state of Victoria on offshore wind.”

Ben Backwell, CEO, Global Wind Energy Council said: “This momentous announcement demonstrates that Australia’s ambition to become an offshore wind powerhouse runs from the federal government through to state governments and beyond. Ambition must be allied to action, and the collaborative approach shown by Australia’s government in supporting this application can be a model for action elsewhere.

“One of the pillars of the Global Offshore Wind Alliance is to accelerate the deployment of offshore wind, and the enthusiasm shown by the Victorian Government, particularly Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio, in hosting the first APAC Summit in Melbourne will highlight how collaboration, knowledge-sharing and public-private interaction are key to delivering on the APAC region’s enormous potential.

Amisha Patel, Director, Global Public Affairs, Offshore Wind, Global Wind Energy Council, said: “The Global Offshore Wind Alliance is delighted to welcome its first sub-national member into this community of offshore wind best-practice.

“Events like the inaugural APAC Summit in Melbourne show the enormous value of bringing together industry and regional government. Delivering on offshore wind potential requires input from all stakeholders, and the collaborative approach shown by the Australian and Victorian governments and industry can act as a model for other potential-rich nations looking to deliver on their offshore wind ambitions.”