The report from The Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) and the CSIRO notes Australia has very high quality offshore wind resources close to the existing transmission grid.
More than 2000 gigawatts could be installed within 100km of current substations and excluding environmentally and low wind areas - far in excess of total current electricity generation.
The report pegs offshore areas in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia close to high capacity transmission grids as potential sites - such as Newcastle, Gipplsand and Gladstone.
A mix of onshore and offshore wind could help maintain a consistent reliable supply in future high penetration energy scenarios, which has been flagged by the Australian Energy Market Operator as rapidly becoming the reality.
It also notes the latest generation of offshore wind turbines can generate up to 14 megawatts of power per turbine, meaning fewer will need to be installed, while developments in floating offshore wind would allow access to deep water sites that were previously inaccessible.
Many projects would be past the horizontal plane, meaning offshore wind developers would not be faced with the same visual complaints that their onshore counterparts deal with.
The International Energy Agency has highlighted offshore wind, along solar and onshore wind as one key renewable energy growth sources as the transition unfolds.
There are around 25GW of offshore wind project proposals in Australia, including the 2GW Star of the South project offshore Gippsland, however Australia's nascent industry continues to be held up by federal regulation that has yet to be legislated. Star of the South chose to enter the market before legislation was passed.
The Morrison government released the details of the proposed legislative framework for offshore wind in January last year with little movement since.
Energy and emissions reduction minister Angus Taylor could not be reached for comment.
The CRC report calls for offshore wind to be incorporated into national and state energy planning, which is not currently the case, and could be incorporated into the National Hydrogen Strategy.
"Offshore wind has the potential to contribute to the energy system through higher capacity factors and diversity of energy supply," CSIRO and Blue Economy CRC project leader Mark Hemer said.
"This is particularly important under ‘energy superpower' scenarios including mass electrification and hydrogen production".
Maritime Union of Australia national secretary Paddy Crumin said Australia has highly skilled seafarers and offshore oil and gas workers capable of constructing offshore wind projects.
"The development of an offshore wind industry would provide the opportunity for these workers to transition into the important work of delivering Australia's clean energy future," he said.
"Offshore wind requires many of the skills that workers in fossil fuel industries have and can be built in places where workers have those skills, such as Newcastle, Port Kembla, Gippsland and Gladstone."
Electrical Trades Union national secretary Allen Hicks said the Morrison government was making it harder for essential workers and communities in the fossil fuel industries to make the inevitable shift to the renewable energy sector.
"We should respect and reward the workers in fossil fuel industries that have powered Australia for generations by supporting them as they make the much-needed transition to renewable industry jobs," he said.
