North Sea Clean Energy Agreement Signals Major Boost for Offshore Wind

The UK has today signed a landmark clean energy agreement with European partners, reinforcing the North Sea’s role as a cornerstone of future energy security. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband formally signed the Hamburg Declaration at the Future of the North Seas Summit, committing participating nations to deliver up to 100GW of offshore wind capacity through coordinated, cross-border projects.

The agreement brings together the UK, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Norway. It sets out plans for an unprecedented network of offshore wind farms capable of supplying electricity to multiple countries simultaneously, supported by shared grid infrastructure, aligned planning and faster delivery timelines.

This initiative builds on the broader North Sea cooperation launched in 2023, which targets 300GW of offshore wind by 2050. The ambition reflects a strategic shift away from imported gas and exposure to global fossil fuel price volatility, accelerated in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Alongside the declaration, the UK will pursue additional bilateral agreements to expand hybrid offshore connections, enabling wind farms to link directly into more than one national grid. Ministers have framed this approach as central to long-term energy resilience, reducing reliance on geopolitically sensitive supply chains.

Ed Miliband highlighted the importance of treating the North Sea as a shared clean energy asset, underpinned by common infrastructure that strengthens national security. Germany’s Economy Minister, Katherina Reiche, echoed this view, emphasising that cross-border grid and industrial planning can deliver affordable clean power while reinforcing Europe’s industrial competitiveness and strategic independence.

The agreement follows the UK’s latest renewables auction, which secured a record 8.4GW of offshore wind, adding momentum to efforts to position the North Sea as a collective energy system rather than a series of national projects.

Attention now turns to implementation, with industry and governments focused on cost-sharing mechanisms, accelerating grid upgrades and streamlining permitting across borders. Politically, the Hamburg summit sends a clear signal of Europe’s continued commitment to offshore wind, even as green policies face growing opposition in parts of the global landscape.