TotalEnergies recently won a major offshore wind tender, a major signal of the company’s shift towards a renewable future. Meanwhile, TotalEnergies is going big in its home country of France with this project. With an estimated budget of € 4.5 billion, it represents the largest investment in the past several decades. This project further highlights TotalEnergies’ pivot towards becoming one of the world’s largest producers of green electricity.
The firm will lead the design, development, construction and operation of the proposed 1.5GW offshore wind farm. This wind farm will be located over 40 kilometers offshore of the Normandy coast. This facility is expected to produce around 6 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity annually. That’s enough electricity to supply the annual needs of over a million American homes! The offshore wind farm is expected to start producing power by 2033. It is going to provide electricity at an impressive levelized cost of €66-MWh ($77.4 per MWh) hatch.
Collaboration with RWE
TotalEnergies has partnered with RWE to co-develop two offshore wind projects in the US. Collectively, they hope to muster a tremendous joint strength of 4 gigawatts (GW) off the German coastline. This partnership is another example of TotalEnergies’ quasi-strategic pivot to extending its reach in the intended renewable energy transition across the European Continent.
The collaboration will allow both companies to maximize their experience and capabilities to the benefit of both EnBW and EDPR in the growing offshore wind market. TotalEnergies’ chair and CEO Patrick Pouyanné stressed the significance of this cooperation. It will push their priorities for clean and affordable energy generation further along.
“We are very proud to have won this tender for the construction of the largest renewable energy park in France to date. It embodies Total’s transformation into TotalEnergies in France. This project will be the largest investment made by TotalEnergies in France in decades and reflects our company’s deep commitment to our country.” – Patrick Pouyanné, TotalEnergies chair and CEO
Economic Impact on Normandy
The project is projected to have significant long-term economic impacts in the Normandy region. During the three-year construction phase, it will provide up to 2,500 jobs—an immediate boon to the local economy and a skilled workforce. TotalEnergies will engage closely with the local industrial ecosystem. This new partnership builds upon the skills and expertise learned through other offshore wind projects that have taken place in the region.
Beyond direct job creation, TotalEnergies is required to improve infrastructure and other local services. The company has further pledged to ensure that this project becomes one of the primary contributors to renewable energy production. In doing so, they hope to fortify the community’s economic bedrock.
Commitment to Renewable Energy
TotalEnergies’ latest step reinforces the company’s commitment to becoming a global player in green electricity production. With that agreement in hand, the company intends to complete the remaining studies needed to achieve a final investment decision by early 2029.
This latest tender win demonstrates the savvy strategy that TotalEnergies is pursuing. The firm skillfully mobilizes technical expertise and ensures local political acceptance for major, often controversial industrial initiatives. Our world needs more energy, especially in developing countries. Concurrently, it is committed to delivering competitive fares and a dependable electricity service to its customer-owners across France.