The Seagreen offshore wind farm is now up and running at its design capacity of 1,075 MW. Seagreen is a joint venture between TotalEnergies (51%) and SSE Renewables (49%). It can be found in the North Sea, around 27 km off the Angus coast. This is TotalEnergies ‘ largest operational offshore wind farm in the world, and the deepest fixed-bottom wind farm in the world, with foundations sinking almost 60 meters below sea level. The project, which began construction in June 2020, was completed in around 3 years for an overall investment of around $4 billion, in line with planned capital expenditure. With the support of TotalEnergies, development and construction were managed by SSE, which will now operate the offshore wind farm for its planned 25-year lifespan.
A major source of renewable energy
The 1,075 MW offshore wind farm has the capacity to generate around 5 terawatt-hours (TWh) of renewable electricity, enough to power almost 1.6 million homes annually, the equivalent of two-thirds of all Scottish households. Seagreen will also prevent the emission of more than 2 million tonnes of CO2 from fossil fuel-based electricity generation every year.
A positive impact on the environment
In line with its business model, TotalEnergies will market, via Seagreen, its share of production through a mix of long-term guaranteed-price contracts, including a 15-year CfD (Contract for Difference) contract awarded by the UK government, and a 15-year private CfD contract with the SSE Group, as well as short-term sales on the wholesale market.
“I am very pleased to see Seagreen producing at full power, making it TotalEnergies’ largest offshore wind farm in the world. This 1 GW project is another step in the realization of our strategy to build a world-class, cost-competitive renewable energy generation portfolio to deliver clean, reliable and affordable energy to our customers. It will contribute positively to achieving our integrated energy profitability target of 12% and our goal of generating more than 100 TWh of electricity by 2030,” said Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies.
“Taking part in the project alongside SSE has enabled us to strengthen our offshore wind expertise, which will be extremely useful for our future projects in the UK, USA and Germany. It’s also very good news for Scotland, as Seagreen makes a significant contribution to the country’s ambition of net zero emissions by 2045.”
A step towards the energy transition
“The Seagreen offshore wind farm is a fantastic example of the work being done to unlock the potential of renewable energy in Scotland, as we seek to become world leaders in the transition to zero emissions,” said Scotland’s First Minister, Humza Yousaf.
“This significant milestone for Seagreen is also important for Scotland, bringing us closer to creating a zero-emissions energy system that offers affordable, safe and clean energy. Meeting our climate obligations is a top priority for the Scottish Government, as is our unwavering commitment to a just transition for working people.”
An example of Scottish expertise
“This is a great milestone for Seagreen and for Scotland. It shows that this country not only has world-class renewable resources, but also world-class teams capable of delivering major large-scale clean energy projects. Seagreen’s ability to power up to 1.6 million homes will make a significant contribution to energy security and strengthen Scotland’s and the UK’s position in clean energy generation,” said Alistair Phillips-Davies, Chief Executive of SSE plc.
“But to fully realize this country’s potential, we need many more projects like Seagreen, and we look forward to working with governments, partners, investors and local communities to advance more iconic projects like this in the future.”
TotalEnergies and offshore wind energy
TotalEnergies’ offshore wind portfolio has a total capacity of over 13 GW, with most of the wind farms being fixed-bottom. These projects can be found in the UK, South Korea, Taiwan, France, the USA and Germany. The company has also qualified to participate in competitive tenders in several countries.
TotalEnergies and electricity
As part of its ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, TotalEnergies is building a world-class, cost-competitive portfolio combining renewable energies (solar, onshore and offshore wind) and flexible assets (combined cycle gas turbine, storage) to deliver clean, reliable energy to its customers. In 2022, TotalEnergies generated over 33 TWh of electricity and had a gross installed capacity of 17 GW of renewable electricity generation. TotalEnergies will continue to expand this business to increase its electricity production to over 100 TWh by 2030, with the aim of becoming one of the world’s top five producers of electricity from wind and solar power.
About TotalEnergies
TotalEnergies is a global multi-energy company that produces and markets energies: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gas, renewable energies and electricity. Our more than 100,000 employees are committed to providing energy that is increasingly affordable, clean, reliable and accessible to as many people as possible. Present in nearly 130 countries, TotalEnergies places sustainable development in all its dimensions at the heart of its projects and operations to contribute to people’s well-being.
The commissioning of the Seagreen offshore wind farm is a major step towards renewable energy production in Scotland. This project will not only help to reduce CO2 emissions, but also reinforce Scotland’s position as a leader in the transition to zero emissions. It demonstrates the potential of renewable energy and Scotland’s expertise in the field of clean energy. TotalEnergies continues to be committed to the production of renewable electricity and to playing a key role in the global energy transition.
