Australia’s Bass Strait on the southern end of the country may come to be the site of the country’s first offshore wind farm and a model for the future of green energy in the land down under. The Star of the South project could have as many as 250 turbines which generate enough renewable energy to power over a million homes.

If approved, this project could supply up 8000 GWh of electricity per year, which would amount to 18% of Victoria’s energy requirements. The proposal which is made by a local company, Offshore Energy, calls for the wind farm to be connected to the existing infrastructure using undersea and underground cables. The company first announced the project at a discussion about new energy technology held at Federation University, in Gippsland.

The proposal for the country’s first offshore wind farm is already creating a stir among government officials with Lily D’Ambrosio, the minister of the Environment, calling the project “really exciting”. Early studies show the project would reduce carbon emissions by 10.5 million tonnes per year. Andy Evans, the managing director of the Offshore Energy project, claims adding renewable resources like wind power will provide greater security for Australia by diversifying the country’s energy mix.

The project is still in the early stages and is seeking approvals from the federal and state governments for a feasibility study. If it were approved and deemed viable, the project would require substantial capital investment as the total cost of the project is estimated to be A$8 billion dollars ($6 billion US). Offshore Energy stated the project will create an estimated 12,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction and 300 permanent jobs. It would also be a big step in meeting the Victorian government’s goal of having 40% of its electricity provided by renewable energy by 2025.