UK strike deal with Europe for 100 GW North Sea wind farm

TEN European countries, including the UK, have committed to developing up to 100 GW of offshore wind capacity in the North Sea as part of efforts to transform the region into a clean energy hub.

The pledge was set out in the Hamburg Declaration, agreed at the Future of the North Seas Summit, which calls on North Sea nations to accelerate offshore and hybrid wind projects connected to multiple countries.

Signatories included the UK, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway and the Netherlands.

Energy secretary Ed Miliband said: “We are standing up for our national interest by driving for clean energy, which can get the UK off the fossil fuel roller coaster and give us energy sovereignty and abundance.”

Connecting countries

The agreement priortises the development of an interconnected offshore grid, with countries expected to develop cross-border offshore electricity projects supported by joint planning, cost-sharing and market arrangements to accelerate delivery.

The UK and Germany have also agreed to deepen cooperation on offshore hybrid assets, including advanced subsea infrastructure linking offshore wind farms with electricity interconnectors.

Offshore wind expansion

The declaration builds on a previous commitment by North Sea countries to reach 300 GW of offshore wind by 2050, made in response to energy crisis triggered by the Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The UK recently secured 8.4 GW of offshore wind capacity in its latest Contracts for Difference allocation round (AR7) – including the Berwick Bank project.

The government says expanding offshore wind will not only cut emissions but also help lower average energy costs for consumers.