TotalEnergies Buys 50% Stake in Offshore Wind Farm from RWE to Power Green Hydrogen Production
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TotalEnergies announced today the acquisition of a 50% stake in OranjeWind, a 795 MW offshore wind farm under development in the Netherlands, from German power producer RWE, with TotalEnergies’ share of the project’s renewable energy to be used to power electrolyzer projects for the production of green hydrogen.
According to TotalEnergies, the transaction forms part of the company’s initiatives towards its goal to achieve a 40% reduction in net Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions linked directly to its oil and gas operations by 2030. As part of these efforts, the company has stated that it wants to replace 500,000 tons per year of the hydrogen consumed in its refineries with green hydrogen by 2030, which it anticipates could help reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 5 million tonnes annually.
The company added that its share of renewable energy from the new OranjeWind project will power 350 MW electrolyzer projects, enabling the production of approximately 40,000 tons per year of green hydrogen, and avoiding the emission of approximately 400,000 tons of CO2 per year.
Stephane Michel, President Gaz Renewables & Power and Bernard Pinatel, President, Refining & Chemicals, TotalEnergies, said:
“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 decarbonize our refineries in northern Europe. This integrated, innovative project perfectly illustrates our pioneering role in the energy transition in Europe, especially through the emergence of offshore wind power linked to green hydrogen electrolyzers in the Netherlands.”
Alongside the acquisition, RWE and TotalEnergies announced that they have taken the investment decision to build the OranjeWind offshore wind farm, located in the North Sea, approximately 53 kilometers from the Dutch coast, with RWE leading the development, construction and operation of the wind farm on behalf of the joint venture. Offshore construction of the project is scheduled to start in 2026, with full commissioning expected in early 2028.
Sven Utermöhlen, CEO RWE Offshore Wind, said:
“The Netherlands is one of our strategic core markets to grow our green portfolio. In TotalEnergies I am delighted to have a strong partner at our side with whom we can realize our first offshore wind project in the Netherlands and at the same time unlock the full system integration of OranjeWind. 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.”