By Victor Uchechukwu
- The project represents an overall investment of approximately €4.5 billion, the largest made by TotalEnergies in the country in the past 30 years
- Says it has made commitments on job creation in France, especially in Normandy while implementing a European preference policy for major equipment, notably wind turbines and electricity cables
- The 1.5 GW wind farm will supply green electricity to over 1 million households at a competitive price.
The consortium formed by TotalEnergies and RWE has been selected by the Ministry in charge of Industry and Energy as the winner of the Centre Manche 2 (AO8) offshore wind tender, French energy firm has told EWI (Media) in a statement. It added the consortium would also be responsible for designing, developing, building, and operating a 1.5 gigawatt (GW) offshore wind farm off the coast of Normandy.
Known as the largest renewable project ever developed in France is located more than 40 km off the coast of Normandy which once built will be generating approximately 6 TWh per year and supply green electricity to the equivalent of over 1 million French households at a competitive price of €66/MWh which was also the specification of the tender.
As the operator of the project, the company said it would be relying on its expertise in offshore wind and the management of large-scale marine energy projects while continuing with the necessary studies to reach a final investment decision by early 2029. Electricity production is expected to begin in 2033, in line with RTE’s grid connection schedule, the French major told EWI (Media) in a statement.
“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. As a long-standing player in Normandy, we are determined to mobilize our expertise to ensure this project is an industrial success while securing its acceptance by the region. We will work to support the local industrial ecosystem, which has already developed skills through the first offshore wind projects currently being installed. Finally, this project strengthens our development in green electricity production to offer competitive prices to our French customers”, says Chairman and CEO Patrick Pouyanné.
RWE TotalEnergies also said, has expressed its wish to exit the consortium, subject to French authorities’ approval as it (TotalEnergies) pursues the project, assuming all the commitments of the consortium, while proposing to bring a new partner into the project.
A project which will benefit the Normandy region and the European industry is expected to gulp about €4.5 billion in investment. It is equally hoped it would generate significant economic benefits for the Normandy region as up to 2,500 people are expected to be employed during the three years of construction. French major said it has committed to offering 500,000 hours of work to apprentices and individuals in professional reintegration. It also said it plans to engage the local economic ecosystem, which has already developed expertise in offshore wind.
As regards gains to the European industry, the company said it intends to source materials from European suppliers, particularly for wind turbines and electrical cables. “We will ensure the proper integration of the project into the region”, the company said.
“In the coming months, a dedicated team, based in Normandy, will continue the consultation work with local and regional stakeholders that began during the tender phase. It will ensure the proper integration of the project into the Normandy region, especially its coexistence with commercial fishing”, TotalEnergies said.
“We will also implement crowdfunding financing that will allow local residents and authorities in the Normandy region to invest in the project and directly contribute to the energy transition of their territory. Additionally, we will fund a €10 million territorial fund to support initiatives in training, education, and culture in Normandy”.
“On environmental matters, we will allocate €45 million to measures aimed at avoiding, reducing, and offsetting the project’s impacts; as well as €15 million to a biodiversity promotion fund in Normandy”.
“Finally, we have committed to making this project exemplary in terms of recycling offshore wind farm components, with recycling, reuse, or repurposing rates of blades, towers, and nacelles equal to or greater than 95%, and 100% of generator magnets being recycled or reused”.
Since 2020, while transforming its energy offer, TotalEnergies says it has invested more than €8 billion in France, nearly half of which has supported the energy transition of its assets and for its customers.
The company said that it has been able to meet the electricity needs of the equivalent of 1.8 million people in France using its renewable energy portfolio of 660 wind, solar, hydro, and battery storage plants thereby placing it as among the top three renewable electricity providers in the country, with over 2 GW of installed capacity. It said it supplies electricity and gas to about 4.2 million residential and business customers.
In offshore wind, it said it has a total capacity of 25 GW, with most “farms bottom-fixed”. And these projects it said are located in the United Kingdom (Seagreen, Outer Dowsing, West of Orkney, Erebus), South Korea (Bada), Taiwan (Yunlin, Haiding 2), France (Eolmed and Centre Manche 2), the United States (Attentive Energy and Carolina Long Bay), in the Netherlands (OranjeWind), in Germany (Nordsee Energies 1, 2 & 3, Ostsee Energies, WindBostel Ost et West).