RWE signs largest ever PPA with EDF for Sofia
RWE has signed a fifteen-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with EDF who will purchase the renewable electricity from Sofia Offshore Wind Farm which is set for full generation in 2026.
RWE has signed a fifteen-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with EDF for Sofia, one of the largest single offshore wind farms in the world
Agreement will bring renewable electricity to the equivalent of over 1.2 million UK homes
RWE has signed a fifteen-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with EDF who will purchase all the renewable electricity generated by Sofia Offshore Wind Farm, which is set for full generation in 2026.
In what represents RWE and EDF’s largest renewable energy agreement to date, EDF will offtake all the wind energy that Sofia will produce, expected to be approximately 6.5 terrawatt hours (TWh) each year. This equates to almost half of the electricity used in the North East of England annually, or the equivalent of the power needs of 1.2 million UK homes, providing additional large-scale offshore wind capacity to support the UK achieve its ambitions of net zero emissions by 2050.
With offshore installation expected to begin in 2023 and project completion due in 2026, Sofia will have a capacity of 1.4 GW, making it one of the largest single offshore wind farms in the world. It will comprise 100 turbines each standing at 252 metres tall and its completion will not only represent a turning point for consumers looking to use more renewable energy, but also for the UK’s electricity market.
Philippe Commaret, Managing Director, Customers at EDF, said: “This agreement marks a major milestone in our progress towards achieving net zero, as well as the UK’s ambition to grow offshore wind capacity to 40 gigawatts by 2030. We are focused on working with partners like RWE to furnish the grid with the scale of renewable energy that it so desperately needs. This is exciting news for our customers and will also set a precedent for the UK’s energy industry - delivering large scale, practical solutions on the road to net zero.”
Sven Utermöhlen, CEO Offshore Wind, RWE Renewables said: “The UK plays a key role in RWE’s strategy to grow its renewables business and to become carbon neutral by 2040. Sofia will be one of the largest single offshore wind farms in the world once constructed, and the signing of the PPA with EDF demonstrates our ability to support electricity suppliers in providing CO2-free power to their customers.”