The United Kingdom and Norway have signed a new Green Industrial Partnership aimed at strengthening cooperation on renewable energy and infrastructure in the North Sea, as part of broader efforts to enhance energy security and accelerate the green transition.
UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband met with Norway’s Energy Minister Terje Aasland, Trade and Industry Minister Cecilie Myrseth, and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre during a visit to Oslo this week. The agreement builds on the existing UK–Norway Strategic Partnership and targets joint efforts in offshore wind development, grid infrastructure, and carbon capture and storage (CCS).
“Energy security is national security – and only by working with key partners like Norway can we accelerate clean power that we control, getting us off the rollercoaster of fossil fuels in these unstable times,” Miliband said.
The initiative also includes plans to enhance protection of offshore infrastructure and reduce barriers to cross-border carbon storage projects. According to the UK government, the country’s seabed could hold as much as 78 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, with the North Sea positioned as a key hub in future carbon storage efforts.
Norwegian Energy Minister Terje Aasland welcomed the agreement, stating, “Norway and the United Kingdom have a unique relationship in the energy sector, characterized by innovation and close cooperation across the North Sea. I am very pleased that today we are establishing a forward-looking partnership to promote the green transition.”
The UK government said the agreement could help create tens of thousands of jobs and add up to £36 billion to the economy, citing research that suggests North Sea cooperation could drive substantial clean energy investments.
Myrseth, Norway’s Minister of Trade and Industry, added: “By combining Norwegian and British strengths, we can create jobs, develop new industries, and enhance our competitiveness.”
By 2030, the North Sea could support up to 120 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity, enough to supply more than 120 million homes, contributing to energy security and providing export opportunities for British industry.
