TotalEnergies has launched commercial operations for its two utility-scale solar farms, Danish Fields and Cottonwood, located in southeast Texas. Together, these projects boast a capacity of 1.2 GW and are part of a broader portfolio totaling 4 GW of renewable assets either operational or under construction in the state.
Danish Fields, with a capacity of 720 MWp, is TotalEnergies’ largest solar facility in the U.S., featuring 1.4 million ground-mounted photovoltaic panels and a 225 MWh battery storage system supplied by Saft, TotalEnergies’ battery subsidiary. Of its solar capacity, 70% is secured through long-term Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (CPPAs) with industry partners like Saint-Gobain, which includes an upside-sharing mechanism tied to market prices. The remaining 30% of capacity will aid in the decarbonization of TotalEnergies’ industrial plants in the Gulf Coast region, complementing other projects such as Myrtle Solar and the upcoming Hill 1 solar farm.
Cottonwood has a capacity of 455 MWp and features over 847,000 photovoltaic panels, along with a planned 225 MWh battery storage system, also from Saft, expected to be operational by 2025. Its electricity production is similarly contracted through long-term PPAs with companies like LyondellBasell and Saint-Gobain, supporting their sustainability initiatives.
Olivier Jouny, Senior Vice President of Renewables at TotalEnergies, emphasized that the startup of these projects in the rapidly growing ERCOT market demonstrates the company’s commitment to delivering competitive renewable electricity to meet clients’ decarbonization targets. He added that these efforts align with TotalEnergies’ broader strategy to achieve a 12% return on average capital employed (ROACE) in its Integrated Power business.
TotalEnergies stands as a significant player in the U.S. renewable energy sector, aiming for a combined gross capacity of 10 GW by 2025 and over 25 GW by 2030. The company has also enhanced its flexible power production capacity by acquiring three gas-fired power plants in Texas. As part of its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, TotalEnergies is building a cost-competitive portfolio that combines renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, with flexible assets to deliver reliable clean power. By mid-2024, the company’s gross renewable electricity generation capacity was 24 GW, with plans to expand to 35 GW by 2025 and produce over 100 TWh of net electricity by 2030.
