By Bate Felix
PARIS, Feb 18 (Reuters) - French energy major Totalis partnering with Denmark's Orsted andrenewable energy producer Elicio to submit a joint bid for the600 megawatt capacity Dunkirk offshore wind project in France,the company said on Monday.
The bid is the oil and gas major's first serious foray intooffshore wind in decades as it expands its presence in therenewable energy value chain.
Until recently, Total's major investments in renewables havebeen chiefly in the solar segment, with its $1.3 billionacquisition of SunPower and purchase of a 23 percentstake in solar and wind energy producer Total Eren.
Meanwhile European peers such as Equinor and Shellhave been increasing investments in offshore winddevelopments.
Total's executives have said the company was keenly watchingthe wind segment and would invest if a suitable business caseemerged.
"Total's participation in this offshore wind bid is in linewith our strategy to develop our low-carbon electricity businessin Europe," Philippe Sauquet, president of gas, renewables andpower at Total, said in a statement.
The company plans to invest $1.5-$2 billion annually inlow-carbon electricity with a target of around 10 GW ofinstalled capacity by 2022.
Orsted manages more than a quarter of the world's installedwind capacity, while Elicio is particularly active in wind powerin France and Belgium.
A number of international firms are vying for the Dunkirktender.
"We think that offshore wind offers the materiality andreturns that the majors are looking for and have expected Totalto follow its major peers in the offshore wind sector," saidValentina Kretzschmar, Wood Mackenzie's director of corporateanalysis.
Kretzschmar said Total's partnership with experiencedoffshore wind players such as Orsted and Elicio will help itrise along the learning curve with the new technology, while itspartners will benefit from its financial strength and projectexecution expertise.(Reporting by Bate Felix; Editing by Jan Harvey)
