Total, a company that produces and markets fuels, natural gas and low-carbon electricity, has signed an agreement with developer Simply Blue Energy to acquire an 80% stake in floating wind project Erebus located in the Celtic Sea, in Wales.
The project will have a 96 MW capacity and will be installed in an area with a water depth of 70 m. This makes Total one of the first movers in this technology in the U.K.
“Floating offshore wind is an extremely promising and technical segment where Total brings its knowledge in offshore operations and maintenance,” says Patrick Pouyanné, chairman and CEO of Total. “Total has the appropriate skills to meet the technological and financial requirements that determine the success of future floating offshore developments.”
While offshore wind has so far mainly developed in shallow water depths based on fixed-bottom technology, floating wind offshore is set for strong growth in the years to come. This emerging technology has wide potential, opening access to sites further offshore, which have less impact on the landscape and benefit from very high wind resources.
