Countries including the UK, Germany and the Netherlands are set to pledge to jointly develop 100GW of offshore wind capacity in the North Sea and to strengthen protection of critical energy infrastructure, Bloomberg reported.
Energy ministers from nine countries are expected to sign a declaration in Hamburg next week committing to the joint offshore wind projects by 2050, according to a draft document seen by Bloomberg.
Amid rising security concerns, the draft also calls for closer cooperation on the exchange of security-related data and measures to counter physical and cyber threats to offshore assets.
“Considering the need to secure our offshore energy infrastructure against actions committed in the maritime sea and air space by malign actors and to negligent nautical behavior, it is essential to continue to pursue a high level of physical and digital protection of our energy infrastructure,” the draft document says, according to Bloomberg.
Bloomberg reported that Nato and the European Commission are expected to participate in the summit, with Iceland also joining the talks despite not being a North Sea nation.
The planned pledge follows renewed criticism of Europe’s offshore wind expansion by US President Donald Trump earlier this week.
The North Sea is viewed as central to the European Union’s net-zero strategy, with offshore wind and hydropower expected to help lower energy bills, strengthen energy security and support the development of green hydrogen.
The wider region has set a target of installing 300GW of offshore wind capacity by 2050, with around one third to be delivered through joint projects. According to Bloomberg, the draft declaration states that transmission system operators aim to set 20GW of such joint developments in motion during the 2030s.
