Australia's first offshore wind projects will begin after being granted feasibility licences to unlock the energy, climate and economic benefits of the power source.
Awarding licences for the nation-leading Gippsland zone off Victoria's coast, Energy Minister Chris Bowen said offshore wind would be "energy rich and jobs rich" for six development zones around Australia.
"That's why major Australian energy users - from Alcoa in Portland, to BlueScope in the Illawarra, to Tomago in the Hunter - say that offshore wind is vital to their energy future," he told a conference in Melbourne on Wednesday.