Ørsted partners with oil company TotalEnergies to participate in Dutch offshore wind auction

Ørsted, which happens to be the world's largest offshore wind developer, has just announced that it has joined forces with TotalEnergies to participate in the auction, which is part of the roadmap that the Dutch government has drawn up to 70,000 megawatts of offshore wind power by 2050, power that it wants to associate with the large-scale production of green hydrogen. The Nordic power company, a public company in which the Danish state is a majority shareholder, has already worked in Dutch waters, where it boasts of having executed the Borssele 1 and Borssele 2 wind farms on time and on budget, even during the pandemic, "which shows that Ørsted is a reliable partner for the green transformation of the Netherlands". The utility also boasts extensive experience in the development and implementation of offshore wind farms in accordance with the highest standards of sustainability and respect for nature.

French oil company TotalEnergies brings to the alliance its extensive experience in offshore operations and its good positioning as a multi-energy company in the Netherlands. In this regard, TotalEnergies is working on "an ambitious investment program in green energy and hydrogen production" for the decarbonization of the powerful industrial sector in the province of Zeeland.

Rasmus Errboe, head of the Continental Europe region at Ørsted: "We are delighted about our partnership with TotalEnergies for the upcoming Dutch auction. With our joint bids, we want to ensure that the Netherlands accelerates the installation of offshore wind power in the 2030 horizon and beyond, in an environmentally friendly way."

Olivier Terneaud, VP Offshore Wind at TotalEnergies: "The energy transition brings with it new challenges, both in terms of environmental impact and in terms of integrating renewable generation into electricity grids. Well, it is precisely to address these challenges that we want to participate in these auctions, together with Ørsted, in order to drive the energy transition in the Netherlands, where we have been working, and gaining experience in offshore operation, for more than half a century."

The Holland Coast West VI auction is set to change the way offshore wind farms relate to the marine environment, according to Ørsted. With the measures it proposes and "unprecedented monitoring programs", this auction has put the focus, the Danish company explains, on cooperation with all the parties involved (companies, institutes, universities and NGOs), "both internationally and locally, and with the ultimate aim of building the knowledge needed to produce wind farms that reinforce nature by default".

Zeeland is the largest hydrogen development hub in the Netherlands. With a capacity of 600 megawatts of electrolysis, what Ørsted defines as the world's largest green hydrogen cluster will become a reality in 2027 thanks exclusively to offshore wind electricity generated by Holland Coast West, a complex that will serve the Netherlands to achieve maximum integration of renewable electricity into its systems, complemented by, among other solutions, electrification of transport, batteries and direct electrification of industrial processes.

The winning companies of the auction are expected to be announced by the Dutch government next autumn.

Key players

Ørsted is a Danish public company (the state, which is the majority shareholder, holds more than half of the company's shares) that develops, builds and operates onshore and offshore wind farms, bioenergy plants and solar photovoltaic fields. It also develops and produces solutions for energy storage, for the production of renewable hydrogen and for the manufacture of other green fuels. The company claims to be the only company in the world with "science-based net zero targets" validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Headquartered in Denmark, it employs nearly 7,000 people and recorded revenues of E10.4 billion in 2021.

TotalEnergies defines itself as a multi-energy multinational that produces and markets oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewable energy and electricity. It employs more than 100,000 people and operates in more than 130 countries.