TotalEnergies acquires 50% stake in OranjeWind offshore wind farm

TotalEnergies has acquired a 50% stake in RWE's 795MW OranjeWind offshore wind farm, currently under development in the Netherlands.

The two energy companies have confirmed that a final investment decision was reached allowing the partners to jointly deliver the OranjeWind offshore wind project.

TotalEnergies will use its share of the renewable electricity production from this project to power 350MW electrolyser projects. The electrolysers will produce about 40,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year to be used to decarbonise its refineries in Northern Europe.

The production of this green hydrogen will avoid the emission of approximately 400,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, according to TotalEnergies. The project will also help the company reach its goal of a 40% reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions linked directly to its oil and gas operations by 2030.

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Stephane Michel, president Gaz Renewables & Power and Bernard Pinatel, President, Refining & Chemicals, TotalEnergies, made a joint statement: "We are delighted to working with RWE, a major player in renewables, on a project that will enable us to develop production of green hydrogen, which we need to decarbonise our refineries in northern Europe."

The OranjeWind project is situated in the North Sea about 53km off the Dutch coast. The project was won by RWE in 2022 as part of the Dutch Hollandse Kust West VII tender.

Besides producing green hydrogen and wind power, OranjeWind offshore wind farm will also support the stability of the Dutch grid with its electric boilers and battery storage.

It's been hailed as the first system integration project in the Dutch market and will be used as a testbed for new innovations. These include: offshore floating solar, a subsea lithium-ion battery, LiDAR power forecasting system and a subsea hydro storage power plant off-site.

Construction of the wind farm is scheduled to start in 2026, with full commissioning expected in early 2028.

“Together, we will provide a blueprint for the Dutch energy system of the future, designed to tackle the challenges of intermittent wind generation and flexible energy demand. As key players in the Dutch energy market, we are both committed to helping the Netherlands meet its decarbonisation targets,” said Sven Utermöhlen, CEO of RWE Offshore Wind.