French-German Duo Wins Mega Offshore Wind Energy Project
Edited by Andrew Zinin
French energy multinational TotalEnergies and German energy group RWE have won a contract to build a massive offshore wind project that could supply the equivalent electricity needs of one million households, the French government announced on Wednesday.
The project, named “Centre Manche 2,” will become France’s largest-ever renewable energy installation.
TotalEnergies stated separately that the total investment would be €4.5 billion ($5.3 billion), making it the company’s largest French contract in three decades.
Scheduled to begin operations in 2033, the project will bring France’s total offshore wind capacity — both operating and under development — to 7.8 gigawatts, according to the energy ministry.
France currently has four operational offshore wind farms, each producing under 500 MW, with two more farms under construction at the same output level.
The French government aims to generate 45 GW of offshore wind energy by 2050 and to produce enough wind power by 2030 to meet the electricity demand of two million households.
TotalEnergies is already active in offshore wind projects in Germany, the UK, South Korea, Taiwan, the US, and the Netherlands, as it continues to expand its renewable energy portfolio.
The Centre Manche 2 project will employ around 2,500 workers during its three-year construction period. TotalEnergies has pledged €45 million to mitigate environmental impacts and protect local fishing businesses.
