Offshore wind farm developers were more interested in working in the southern end of the Hunter zone than the more environmentally sensitive northern end, one industry executive believes.
The declared Hunter Offshore Wind Zone covers 1800 square kilometres from Port Stephens to Swansea.
More than a dozen Australian and international offshore wind companies, including Origin Energy, BlueFloat, Oceanex and Energy Estate, have shown interest in investing in projects off the Hunter coast.
The government is expected to announce a list of preferred bidders for the project in early 2024.
Tensions are running high in the Port Stephens community over concerns about the proposed project's potential impacts on the area's tourism and fishing sectors.
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Senior federal Opposition figures have also been actively campaigning against the project over the past month.
But an executive attached to an offshore wind company that has expressed interest in the Hunter zone said it was possible the concern around Port Stephens could end up resolving itself.
This was because most investors preferred the zone's south end due to its proximity to existing transmission infrastructure.
It would also be easier to transport and install turbines in the southern end.
Many of those who attended the October 7 rally complained they were not consulted about the government's plans.
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The federal government has refused to reopen the consultation process but insists that communities will have the opportunity to provide more opportunities to provide feedback as the project progresses.
Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen will ultimately assess the bids in terms of their environmental and commercial viability before announcing the successful proponents.
The minister will have the right to veto project proposals if they are not deemed to be environmentally sustainable.
EnergyAustralia last week announced plans to help coal plant workers transition from jobs at its Yallourn power station - due to retire in 2028 - to the Elanora Offshore wind farm project, proposed for off the coast of Victoria.
It is estimated that the proposed Elanora project has promised to create more than 3000 jobs during the construction phase and 320 jobs during operations.
A future Hunter offshore wind project would also play a key role in assisting Hunter industry to transition to clean energy.