Difficult to believe in a coincidence of timing. TotalEnergies announced on May 23 that it had passed the threshold of 2 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy production capacity installed in France out of 23 GW installed worldwide. This, while the general meeting of shareholders of the group is being held on Friday, which is the subject of repeated accusations from NGOs pointing out its role in the exploitation of gas and oil.
“TotalEnergies is the largest developer of solar electricity in the world,” defends Isabelle Patrier, France Director of TotalEnergies. In France, we are in the Top 3, although we were absent from this sector a decade ago. In France, the company’s renewable electricity production capacities correspond to the consumption of 1.8 million people and 800,000 tonnes of CO2 avoided. Last year, it invested 400 million euros in France. Its spokespersons believe that the pace of deployment could be accelerated, if the administrative procedures were too, as in certain more dynamic countries.
The objective stated by TotalEnergies is to provide green electricity to its 5 million electricity customers, to decarbonize its own uses, starting with halving the CO2 emissions of its refining sites on French territory, and support major accounts. The group has also positioned itself in the market for charging stations for electric cars. It has deployed 21,000 in France, particularly in Paris.
Essentially present in solar (with two-thirds of its renewable installations), wind power for a third and batteries for storage, TotalEnergies also displays ambitions in “small hydroelectricity”, that is to say run-of-river dams with a power of less than 5MW and not subject to the concession regime.
On Tuesday 21, the company also announced, but a little more discreetly, that it had made the final investment decision (FID) for the Kaminho project, in Angola, intended to develop the Cameia and Golfinho fields, located 100km offshore. Angolan, in 1700m water depth. The decision was taken by TotalEnergies (40%) and its partners in block 20/11, Petronas (40%) and Sonangol (20%). The Kaminho project will be connected to a system of subsea wells. Production should start in 2028, with a plateau of 70,000 barrels of oil per day. “We are delighted to launch the Kaminho project alongside our strategic partners, Sonangol and Petronas, with the support and confidence of the national authorities,” said Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of TotalEnergies.