Construction has officially begun at the OranjeWind offshore wind farm in the Dutch North Sea, with the joint venture between RWE and TotalEnergies announcing the successful installation of the first monopile foundation.

The milestone, reached on September 1, 2026, marks the physical start of a project that will deliver 795 megawatts of generating capacity and is expected to be fully operational in early 2028.

A Major Step Toward Dutch Renewable Targets

The OranjeWind wind farm is located 53 kilometres off the coast of IJmuiden and will ultimately comprise 53 turbines. When fully commissioned, the project is expected to generate enough electricity to supply the equivalent of one million Dutch households each year.

Installation of all 53 monopile foundations is expected to be completed by early 2027, with inter-array cable installation scheduled for the end of 2026 and turbine installation planned throughout 2027.

Sven Utermöhlen, CEO of RWE Offshore Wind, described the first installation as a landmark moment for the project. "After years of planning, the project has become a reality with the installation of the first monopile," he said. "This is a huge success for the team and its supply chain partners."

Olivier Jouny, Senior Vice President Renewables at TotalEnergies, pointed to the project's role in the company's broader European strategy, noting that OranjeWind would support TotalEnergies' decarbonisation roadmap through the production of green hydrogen for its refineries in Northern Europe.

"OranjeWind is a concrete example of how TotalEnergies is combining scale, innovation and partnerships to deliver the energy transition," Jouny said.

Transition Piece-Less Design Reduces Steel Use

The monopile foundations used at OranjeWind incorporate a transition piece-less design, meaning the turbines will be bolted directly to the top flange of each monopile without the need for a separate transition piece. According to RWE, this approach significantly reduces the amount of steel required in the construction of the wind farm.

Each monopile is approximately 90 metres long and 8 metres in diameter. Secondary steel components, including the Main Access Platform, Internal Cassette, and boat landings, are mounted directly onto the monopile in a separate installation campaign rather than as part of the primary foundation installation.

The foundations were manufactured and supplied by Sif, with the monopiles loaded out from Sif's terminal at the Maasvlakte near Rotterdam before being transported to the offshore site.

Jan De Nul's Les Alizés Carries Out Installation

The monopile was transported and installed by Jan De Nul's vessel Les Alizés, which operates under a long-term charter arrangement between Jan De Nul and RWE.

The Les Alizés is described as an innovative floating vessel that uses dynamic positioning technology to ensure the correct placement of monopiles during installation.

The vessel is equipped with a 5,000-tonne crane capable of reaching 160 metres at full height, which is used to lift the monopiles before they are driven into the seabed using a hydraulic impact hammer.

The Les Alizés holds an Ultra-Low Emissions Vessel designation, a notation applied to ships that go beyond existing MARPOL requirements for emissions reduction. The vessel features advanced air emission control technology that significantly reduces both nitrogen oxide and fine particle emissions.

Marine Life Protections Built Into Construction Process

To mitigate the impact of piling noise on marine life, the OranjeWind project is deploying a bubble curtain system during foundation installation. Compressed air is pumped through a hose around the piling site, creating a wall of bubbles that absorbs and reflects sound waves generated by the hydraulic impact hammer.

The project will also conduct continuous noise measurements outside the bubble curtain to verify that sound levels remain within applicable regulatory limits throughout the construction period.

Supply Chain and Project Partners

The OranjeWind project draws on a supply chain rooted in the Netherlands and wider European offshore wind industry. The monopile fabrication by Sif at the Maasvlakte facility near Rotterdam means the foundations begin their journey to the North Sea from one of Europe's most established port complexes for offshore energy construction.

RWE Offshore Wind, which is leading the construction programme, operates the Les Alizés under its long-term charter with Jan De Nul, a vessel arrangement that reflects the scale of the company's foundation installation programme across multiple projects in the region.

TotalEnergies, which holds a joint venture stake alongside RWE, reported more than 37 gigawatts of gross renewable power generation capacity as of the end of June 2026 and has set a target of achieving over 100 terawatt-hours of net electricity production by 2030. The OranjeWind project contributes to that portfolio as part of the company's offshore wind expansion across Europe.

Powering Smarter Decisions Across the Netherlands Energy Landscape

With the Netherlands power sector undergoing one of its most ambitious transformations in decades, driven by decarbonisation targets, grid modernisation, and the rapid scaling of renewables, staying ahead of project activity is no longer optional. The organisations that win are the ones that see opportunities before they become common knowledge.

The Global Project Tracking (GPT) platform by Blackridge Research gives energy professionals a structured, continuously updated view of power infrastructure developments across the Netherlands, from offshore wind expansions in the North Sea to solar farms threading across the Netherlands landscapes and transmission upgrades connecting national grids.

Whether you are a developer, contractor, equipment supplier, or financial advisor operating in the Netherlands competitive power markets, the GPT platform equips your team with the intelligence needed to prioritise markets, align business development efforts, and respond to opportunities at exactly the right moment.

• Upcoming Projects

• Tender Notices

• Contract Awards

• Projects Under Construction

• Completed Projects

Discover how the GPT platform can sharpen your market strategy across the Netherlands' evolving power sector. Book a Free Demo with the Blackridge Research team today.