TotalEnergies, a French oil and gas company, has acquired a 50% stake in RWE‘s 795MW OranjeWind offshore wind project. The project is located in the Netherlands. The partners announced a final investment decision for the North Sea project. It aims to integrate wind power with green hydrogen production.
Offshore Wind to Power Green Hydrogen Production
TotalEnergies will use its share of the wind farm’s output to power 350MW of electrolyser projects. This will produce approximately 40,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually. The hydrogen will be used to decarbonize the company’s Northern European refineries.
RWE, a German utility giant, has been advancing the OranjeWind project since 2022. They won the tender for the Hollandse Kust 7 offshore wind site. The zero-subsidy auction was won with a pledge to include onshore green hydrogen production.
Integrating Renewable Energy and Flexible Demand
The OranjeWind project aims to address the challenges of matching intermittent electricity production with flexible energy demand. Each partner will deliver their allocated part of system integration solutions, including:
- Electrolysers
- Smart charging solutions for electric vehicles
- E-boilers for heating
- Battery storage
These solutions will contribute to grid stability. They will provide a blueprint for the Dutch energy system of the future.
Project Details and Timeline
Key details about the OranjeWind offshore wind-to-hydrogen project:
- Location: 53km offshore in the Dutch North Sea
- Capacity: 795MW
- Turbines: 53 Vestas 15MW wind turbines
- Construction start: 2026
- Full commissioning: 2028
The project will also demonstrate a range of innovative offshore technologies. These include floating solar, a seabed battery, and a novel underwater pumped-hydro storage system.
RWE Offshore Wind CEO Sven Utermöhlen expressed delight in having TotalEnergies as a strong partner. They will realize their first offshore wind project in the Netherlands. They will unlock the full system integration potential of OranjeWind.
For more information on sustainable energy projects and green hydrogen initiatives, visit TotalEnergies and RWE official websites.
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