With the recent announcement of investor BlueFloat Energy’s withdrawal from the Illawarra Offshore Wind Zone, it seems divine intervention may be needed to get the turbines spinning and remain afloat.

The Illawarra has long been promoted as one of the pilot regions for Australia’s renewable energy transition, with communities along the coastline divided in their support for offshore wind.

While funding issues were cited as the reason for BlueFloat’s withdrawal, hope remains among the region’s federal representatives.

Despite the BlueFloat setback, Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips remained optimistic that the project could still eventually happen.

“Offshore wind developers around the world are facing challenges with high costs and supply chain uncertainty - but there still remains a high level of investment interest in Australia’s emerging offshore wind industry,” Phillips said.

A recurring theme during the federal election campaign in May was that the outcome would act as a mandate for renewables. 

Good for the Gong founder Sean Moran said the election results in the Illawarra have shown that there is support for offshore wind as a renewable energy source.

“Good for the Gong has had thousands of conversations with Illawarra locals about offshore wind, and we’ve found that most people are either supportive or don’t give it much thought,” Moran said.

“Local support for offshore wind has been demonstrated again and again in representative surveys, and in both local and federal elections.

“If there was significant opposition, it would have shown up in the polls and it simply hasn’t.”

A vocal opponent is Responsible Future Illawarra president Alex O’Brien, who made headlines after disrupting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s media conference on the shores of Lake Illawarra earlier this year.

Responsible Future released a five-page statement after the recent BlueFloat announcement titled “A Respectful Message to Government”.

“To our local Labor MPs and the Minister - we want to be part of the energy transition. But we’ve long said offshore wind is the wrong technology for the Illawarra,” the statement read.

“It is not economically viable, not technically suitable, and it puts our region at risk.

“Let’s reset the conversation - and build something better.”

For Illawarra residents still undecided, the withdrawal of the seventh and final known investor may feel like two steps forward, one step back for offshore wind and perhaps for the broader renewable transition in the region.

Good for the Gong echoed this sentiment in a statement.

“The group acknowledges that global financial uncertainty may affect energy projects, but says the Illawarra continues to stand out as an attractive place to invest - thanks to its industrial strengths, skilled workforce, and strong community

support for climate action and renewable energy.”

NSW Shadow Minister for Energy James Griffin placed the blame squarely on the state government for being out of touch with voters.

“Offshore wind or not, two years into this NSW Labor Government and energy prices haven’t dropped. The state is on track to miss its own legislated net-zero targets, and the only people they should blame is themselves,” Griffin said.

A spokesperson for NSW Minister for the Illawarra and South Coast Ryan Park said: “Offshore Wind is primarily a Commonwealth responsibility.”

Kiama and Jamberoo Uniting Church minister Reverend Kath Merrifield is an active member of the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change and told The Bugle that she is encouraging a collective approach.

“The way we understand the challenge before our whole community is that we have to be part of these conversations and move in that direction,” Reverend Merrifield said.

“I want to encourage the university and the industrial businesses and leaders in the region who I know are already engaged, to actively seek solutions and possibilities.

“Just like there’s no one fossil fuel we’ve relied on for centuries, there’s no one renewable solution we’ll rely on into the future. It takes all of them.”

For information on Good for the Gong head to www.goodforthegong.org

For information on Responsible Future head to www.responsiblefuture.com.au