The latest renewable energy news includes announcements on offshore wind auction in Australia, TotalEnergies, Enercon, and others.
Victoria Opens Australia’s First Offshore Wind Auction for Initial 2 GW
The Victorian government has launched Australia’s first offshore wind auction, opening a Request for Proposal process covering an initial 2 GW of capacity off Gippsland. Developers will be assessed on project deliverability, value for money and economic benefits for local workers, businesses and communities. The RFP remains open until August 2027, with contracts expected to be awarded in 2028. Victoria’s legislated offshore wind targets call for at least 2 GW by 2032, 4 GW by 2035 and 9 GW by 2040. The first auction could support two projects of roughly 1 GW each. The process represents a critical commercial milestone for Australia’s emerging offshore wind sector following federal feasibility licensing and ongoing port, grid and supply-chain development.
TotalEnergies Signs Offshore Wind PPA Covering 24.8% Share of 367 MW Walney I and II
TotalEnergies Gas & Power has signed a long-term power purchase agreement with Offshore Partners Walney, which owns a 24.8 percent stake in the Ørsted-operated Walney I and II offshore wind farms in the UK Irish Sea. The two projects have combined installed capacity of 367 MW. Under the agreement, TotalEnergies will purchase renewable electricity backed by Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin from OPW’s share of generation through 2030. The deal strengthens TotalEnergies’ UK renewable electricity portfolio while giving Offshore Partners Walney a contracted route to market for its generation. Corporate and utility PPAs from established offshore wind farms are becoming increasingly important as owners seek predictable revenues and electricity suppliers respond to business demand for traceable renewable power.
Enercon Secures Final Certification for 7 MW E-175 EP5 E2 Wind Turbine Enercon has received the final IECRE type certificate from TÜV SÜD for its flagship E-175 EP5 E2 onshore wind turbine, clearing an important barrier to wider international deployment. The turbine has a 175-metre rotor diameter and rated output of 7 MW, making it Enercon’s highest-yielding model. A 6 MW variant has also been added for German and international markets. Enercon says orders for the platform extend through 2028, with expansion underway in markets including Canada and Australia. Earlier development work indicated potential annual energy-production improvements of up to 2.8 percent, depending on site conditions. Final certification provides developers with the documentation required for permitting and project approvals, potentially accelerating deployments of larger turbines at low- and medium-wind sites.
