TotalEnergies has recently filed regulatory approval applications for its offshore wind project off the coast of Normandy, marking the substantive launch of the 1.5GW scheme. Upon completion, it will stand as France’s largest offshore wind farm to date.

Developed by TotalEnergies’ wholly-owned subsidiary Centre Manche Energies, the project comes eight months after it was awarded by the French government. Located 40 kilometres off the Normandy coast, it requires a total investment of €4.5 billion (approximately $5.1 billion). The farm is expected to generate 6 terawatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to power over one million households across France.

The submitted documents include technical reports, environmental impact assessments, preliminary engineering designs and installation plans. The environmental evaluation integrates field surveys, official reviews and feedback from local stakeholders. Relevant French authorities will conduct a thorough review, and the developer will maintain ongoing communication with local governments, environmental groups, maritime sectors and residents throughout the process.

The three-year construction phase will create up to 2,500 jobs. Leveraging Normandy’s well-established offshore wind supply chain, the project will prioritise European suppliers for core equipment such as wind turbines and subsea cables.

For years, France’s offshore wind sector has lagged behind major European peers including the UK and Germany, despite ambitious carbon neutrality goals. In recent years, the country has accelerated wind tendering to cut reliance on fossil fuels, complement its nuclear power fleet with renewables and build a diversified clean energy mix.

This project also underpins TotalEnergies’ expansion in integrated power and renewable energy. The group currently boasts nearly 36 GW of installed renewable capacity worldwide, targeting a net power output of over 100 terawatt-hours by 2030.