A consortium formed by TotalEnergies and RWE has been selected as the winner of the Centre Manche 2 (AO8) offshore wind tender by the French Ministry of Industry and Energy. The project involves designing, developing, building, and operating a 1.5 gigawatt (GW) offshore wind farm located more than 40 km off the coast of Normandy. It will be the largest renewable energy project ever developed in France.
Once operational, expected in 2033 in alignment with the grid connection timeline, the wind farm is projected to generate approximately 6 terawatt-hours (TWh) annually. TotalEnergies will serve as the project operator, leveraging its expertise in offshore wind and marine energy projects. The consortium aims to reach a final investment decision by early 2029.
Recently – as part of a strategic review of its investments – RWE has expressed its intention to exit the consortium, subject to approval by French authorities. Regardless of RWE’s decision, TotalEnergies says it will continue pursuing the project, assuming all consortium commitments, and will propose to bring a new partner into the project.
The €4.5 billion investment will bolster the regional economy and support the European supply chain, prioritising sourcing from European manufacturers, particularly for wind turbines and electrical cables.
TotalEnergies will continue consultations to ensure integration of the project with local interests, and will introduce crowdfunding to involve local residents and authorities in the renewable energy transition.
Environmental commitments include €45 million dedicated to mitigating project impacts and €15 million for biodiversity promotion in Normandy. TotalEnergies targets recycling or reuse rates of at least 95% for key wind farm components, maintaining high sustainability standards.
This project marks the largest investment TotalEnergies has made in France for decades, underscoring its dedication to the country’s energy transition and sustainable regional development.
