Shell
About
A London-headquartered energy group that holds offshore wind in its Renewables and Energy Solutions segment, beside Integrated Gas, Upstream, Marketing and Chemicals and Products. It built offshore wind positions in the Netherlands, the UK and the US through joint ventures, among them 79.9% of Hollandse Kust Noord and half shares in two Scottish floating projects and Atlantic Shores. In 2024 it refocused its power strategy on storage, flexible generation and trading, minimising new offshore wind investment. It has sold its SouthCoast Wind interest, handed its Atlantic Shores stake to EDF in October 2025 and left both Scottish floating projects in November 2025. It still has offshore wind in operation in the Netherlands, where a 2025 Google power purchase agreement extends the NoordzeeWind farm's life. Offshore wind is now an operating holding inside a power business built around storage, flexible generation and trading.
Outlook
as of 2026-10Shell is the clearest case of an oil major leaving offshore wind. Under CEO Ben van Beurden, the 2021 Strategy Day put offshore wind at the centre of a Growth pillar with $2-3bn a year of renewables capex, and Shell won 5 GW at ScotWind plus Dutch, Irish and US positions, about 6.5 GW of pipeline in all. Wael Sawan, CEO from January 2023, reversed course under "performance, discipline, simplification": offshore wind could not compete with upstream returns. The exit was systematic. Ireland in September 2022, SouthCoast Wind in March 2024, the renewables team cut in May 2024, Atlantic Shores handed to EDF in October 2025, and the ScotWind stakes sold or returned in November 2025. Shell says it "will not lead new offshore wind developments", and its 2025 annual report describes minimising new investment in offshore wind while Power targets returns of around 10% by 2030 from trading, storage and flexible generation. Its Dutch assets remain: Borssele III/IV and Hollandse Kust Noord (through the CrossWind joint venture) are operating, and Ecowende produced first power in July 2026, with full commercial delivery expected by the end of 2026.
What they've said
30 statements 2021-02 – 2026-07
- Shell Q2 2026 unaudited condensed interim financial report (6-K)
“The impairments in Renewables and Energy Solutions were principally triggered by portfolio choices regarding renewable generation assets in Asia and Europe.”
Shell (company report) source → - Shell Form 20-F 2025, CEO letter
“In power, we withdrew from projects like the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind project in the USA to focus on energy storage, flexible generation and trading. Our focused approach puts us in a better position to serve our customers.”
Wael Sawan, CEO source → - Shell Form 20-F 2025, notes to the financial statements
“In 2024 Shell refreshed its renewable generation, energy marketing, and gas and power trading strategy, shifting Shell's asset portfolio towards energy storage and flexible generation with an increased focus on power trading and minimising new investments in offshore wind projects.”
Shell (company report) source → - Shell Form 20-F 2025, Annual Report on Remuneration
“These actions reduced exposure to assets under development and enabled capital to be redirected towards higher-return opportunities, supporting the goal of returns of around 10% across the Power portfolio by 2030 as referenced at CMD25.”
Shell (company report) source → - Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind withdrawal
Shell voluntarily withdrew from Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, assigning its 50% outstanding membership interests to existing joint venture partner EDF power solutions. The withdrawal ends Shell's participation in the US offshore wind market. The move aligns with Shell's broader power strategy, shifting away from capital-intensive generation projects toward assets that leverage its trading and retail operations.
Hafrok summary source → - MarramWind and CampionWind exit
“After a comprehensive review and in line with Shell's previously announced refocussing of its power strategy on leveraging Shell's strengths in trading and retailing, the conclusion was to not take the CampionWind project forward. Shell therefore returned the lease option to Crown Estate Scotland.”
Shell spokesperson source → - MarramWind and CampionWind exit
“Shell believes that returning the CampionWind lease to CES will offer the best opportunity for any potential future the site may have. Substantial pre-investment work has already been undertaken to de-risk the site, which Shell hopes will support any possible future.”
Shell spokesperson source → - Shell Capital Markets Day 2025
“Today we are raising the bar across our key financial targets, investing where we have competitive strengths and delivering more for our shareholders.”
Wael Sawan, CEO source → - Shell Capital Markets Day 2025
Shell wants to become the world's leading integrated gas and LNG business. LNG will be one of the most durable energy vectors through the energy transition. Supplying LNG will be the biggest contribution we will make to the energy transition.
Hafrok summary source → - Shell Capital Markets Day 2025
Shell will allocate around $8 billion a year to Downstream and Renewables combined, with the company targeting 10% of capital employed in low-carbon businesses by 2030. Capital spend reduced to $20-22 billion per year through 2028.
Hafrok summary source → - Q4 2024 Earnings Call
Shell decided to write off the investment and pause its involvement in Atlantic Shores as the project no longer fits our capabilities nor the returns that we would like. Shell included impairment charges of $996 million, mainly related to renewable generation assets in North America.
Hafrok summary source → - Q4 2024 Earnings Call — supplementary statement
“We have a sharp focus on performance, discipline and simplification. When it comes to investment in wind, whether in the US or elsewhere, we will focus on value maximisation in key markets where we have an advantaged position, and the macro context is naturally a key consideration. We have no plans to lead new offshore wind developments, but we remain interested in offtakes to meet customer demand where commercial terms are acceptable and are open to considering potential equity investments on their merits.”
Shell spokesperson source → - Shell Energy power strategy refresh announcement (Reuters exclusive)
“While we will not lead new offshore wind developments, we remain interested in offtakes where commercial terms are acceptable and are cautiously open to equity positions, if there is a compelling investment case.”
Shell spokesperson source → - Bloomberg report on ScotWind stake sale plans
Shell is aiming to sell its stakes in two Scottish floating offshore wind projects, MarramWind and CampionWind, as part of a wider reversal of its green energy commitments. The 5 GW sites, won jointly with ScottishPower in the ScotWind auction just two years earlier, are being marketed as Shell refocuses on oil, gas, and LNG.
Hafrok summary source → - Offshore wind workforce reduction
Shell is preparing to cut staff from its offshore wind business, primarily in Europe, as CEO Wael Sawan moves the company away from capital-intensive renewable energy. The offshore wind team, mainly based in the Netherlands, faces limitations on spending with fewer projects than anticipated. The reductions follow the departure of key offshore wind leaders Thomas Brostrom and Melissa Read.
Hafrok summary source → - SouthCoast Wind (Mayflower) stake sale to Ocean Winds
“In-line with our Powering Progress strategy, Shell continues to hone our portfolio of renewable generation projects in key markets where we have an advantaged position.”
Glenn Wright, Senior Vice President, Shell Energy Americas source → - Sale of Western and Solar US renewables assets
Shell announced plans to sell stakes in two US renewable energy projects as part of Wael Sawan's strategy to focus on businesses with the highest returns. The moves were part of a broader portfolio rationalisation of the Renewables and Energy Solutions segment.
Hafrok summary source → - Company-wide communication / Abu Dhabi conference
Sawan pledged to be "ruthless" in improving performance and boosting investor returns. Shell needs to be able to cover its cost of capital and make a return for shareholders. The energy transition must be profitable for it to be sustainable — if society is not able to make the energy transition profitable, it will not happen at scale.
Hafrok summary source → - Shell Capital Markets Day 2023
“We are investing to provide the secure energy customers need today and for a long time to come, while transforming Shell to win in a low-carbon future. Performance, discipline, and simplification will be our guiding principles as we allocate capital to enhance shareholder distributions, while enabling the energy transition.”
Wael Sawan, CEO source → - Shell Capital Markets Day 2023
“We need to continue to create profitable business models that can be scaled at pace to truly impact the decarbonisation of the global energy system. We will invest in the models that work — those with the highest returns that play to our strengths.”
Wael Sawan, CEO source → - Shell Capital Markets Day 2023
We will make every dollar count, be unemotional with our spend, and deliver performance, not promises.
Hafrok summary source → - Thomas Brostrom departure announcement
Thomas Brostrom, Shell's head of renewables and former Ørsted executive, departed the company. His role was eliminated as part of a restructuring under CEO Wael Sawan that split the renewables function into regional units. Brostrom had joined Shell from Ørsted in August 2021 to lead offshore wind and was promoted to head of renewables in February 2022.
Hafrok summary source → - Times Radio / Bloomberg interview
“I am of a firm view that the world will need oil and gas for a long time to come. As such, cutting oil and gas production is not healthy.”
Wael Sawan, CEO source → - Hollandse Kust (west) lot VI tender win
Shell and Eneco, through their joint venture Ecowende, won the tender to develop a 760 MW offshore wind farm at Hollandse Kust (west) lot VI in the Netherlands. The bid included commitments to ecological innovation to strengthen marine biodiversity. At the end of 2022, Shell's share of renewable generation capacity was 2.2 GW in operation and 4.2 GW in development.
Hafrok summary source → - CEO transition announcement
Ben van Beurden will step down as CEO at the end of 2022 after nine years leading the company. Wael Sawan, currently Director of Integrated Gas, Renewables and Energy Solutions, will succeed him effective 1 January 2023. Under van Beurden, Shell launched the Powering Progress strategy and made significant investments in offshore wind, hydrogen, and renewable power.
Hafrok summary source → - Withdrawal from Irish offshore wind projects
Shell confirmed it will end its involvement in the Western Star and Emerald floating offshore wind projects in Ireland, developed with Simply Blue Group. Shell had acquired a 51% stake in the Emerald project in January 2021. The combined pipeline represented over 2 GW of floating wind capacity off the coasts of Clare and Cork.
Hafrok summary source → - Outrage and Optimism podcast / industry interview
Shell is pretty good at doing offshore wind. We have won most of the tenders in the Netherlands on offshore wind. The skills that make you good at offshore oil and gas — managing complex offshore projects, understanding weather, logistics, supply chains — transfer directly to offshore wind.
Hafrok summary source → - ScotWind Leasing auction results
ScottishPower Renewables and Shell won seabed rights in Crown Estate Scotland's ScotWind Leasing auction for two floating offshore wind sites — MarramWind (3 GW) and CampionWind (2 GW) — totalling 5 GW off the east and north-east coast of Scotland. The projects would be developed through two joint ventures.
Hafrok summary source → - Shell Strategy Day 2021 — Powering Progress launch
“Our accelerated strategy will drive down carbon emissions and will deliver value for our shareholders, our customers and wider society. We must give our customers the products and services they want and need — products that have the lowest environmental impact. At the same time, we will use our established strengths to build on our competitive portfolio as we make the transition to be a net-zero emissions business in step with society.”
Ben van Beurden, CEO source → - Shell Strategy Day 2021 — Powering Progress launch
Shell will spend $2-3 billion annually on Renewables and Energy Solutions as part of the Growth pillar, including offshore wind, hydrogen, and EV charging. Over time, the balance of capital spending will shift towards the Growth pillar businesses, which will attract around half of additional capital spend.
Hafrok summary source →
Portfolio
11 held + 5 exited · live stages first, exits lastCapacity is net of ownership stake: a 50% JV counts half. Gross exposure (full nameplate of every project held): 19.4 GW.
| Project | Country | Stage | MW | Stake | Net MW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollandse Kust Noord | Netherlands | Operational | 759 | 79.9% | 606 |
| Borssele 3 & 4↓ farmed down | Netherlands | Operational | 732 | 20% | 146 |
| Egmond aan Zee (OWEZ) | Netherlands | Operational | 108 | 100% | 108 |
| Ecowende (Hollandse Kust West Site VI) | Netherlands | Under Construction | 760 | 60% | 456 |
| Shell Pecém Offshore Wind | Brazil | Proposed | 3000 | 100% | 3000 |
| Shell Galinhos Offshore Wind | Brazil | Proposed | 3000 | 100% | 3000 |
| Shell Açu Offshore Wind | Brazil | Proposed | 3000 | 100% | 3000 |
| Shell White Shark Offshore Wind | Brazil | Proposed | 3000 | 100% | 3000 |
| Shell Offshore Wind Piauí | Brazil | Proposed | 2520 | 100% | 2520 |
| Shell Ubu Offshore Wind | Brazil | Proposed | 2520 | 100% | 2520 |
| CampionWind | United Kingdom | Cancelled | 2000 | 100% | 2000 |
| Atlantic Shores South (Projects 1 and 2) | United States | Divested 2025-11 | 2800 | 50% sold | — |
| MarramWind | United Kingdom | Divested 2025-11 | 3000 | 50% sold | — |
| SouthCoast Wind | United States | Divested 2024-03 | 2400 | 50% sold | — |
| Western Star | Ireland | Divested 2022-09 | 1350 | 51% sold | — |
| Emerald | Ireland | Divested 2022-09 | 1300 | 51% sold | — |
Divested & farmed down
every recorded sale by this developer · newest first| Announced | Project / portfolio | Type | Stake sold | €m | Buyer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11 | Atlantic Shores South (Projects 1 and 2) | acquisition | 50% | — | EDF Renewables |
| 2025-11 | MarramWind | acquisition | 50% | — | ScottishPower Renewables |
| 2024-03 | SouthCoast Wind | acquisition | 50% | — | Ocean Winds |
| 2022-09 | Western Star | withdrawal | 51% | — | — |
| 2022-09 | Emerald | withdrawal | 51% | — | — |
| 2018-01 | Borssele 3 & 4 | farmdown | 45% joint | — | Partners Group |
Ownership history comes from the transaction database; the portfolio above is the current snapshot only. "Joint" stakes are the consortium total (per-seller split not disclosed) and are excluded from the stake-weighted GW figure.