The North Sea’s neighbouring states have launched a joint initiative to massively scale up offshore wind power production and international grid connections. By turning Europe’s famously windy northern maritime zone into a renewable energy reservoir, the countries aim to lower industry costs and provide the region with a reliable clean electricity source to help Europe reduce its dependence on fossil fuel imports. At the third North Sea Summit held in the northern German city of Hamburg, government representatives of Germany, France, the UK, Luxembourg, Iceland, Norway, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands and Denmark, agreed to mobilise up to one trillion euros between 2031 and 2040.
German chancellor Friedrich Merz said all signatory states, which included EU members and non-EU states, shared the goal of achieving a secure and affordable energy supply. “For this, we need more cooperation,” Merz said, citing cross-border planning of offshore wind projects, hydrogen production, and grids as areas where this would be implemented. “I see great potential for better cost efficiency,” the chancellor said. He added that the protection against physical and cyberattacks on energy infrastructure in the region played an important role at the talks, which in addition to the EU Commission also featured representatives of the military alliance NATO.
The plan aims to add 15 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity each year, reaching up to 300 GW in tens of thousands of installed turbines by 2050. Moreover, it provides for a fast increase of interconnectors that allow several countries to benefit from the electricity produced in the same wind farm and to develop the production of green hydrogen at sea.
Looks like DB2 was blowing smoke in our faces about North Sea states having problems with offshore wind.
Denmark disappointed after offshore wind tender draws no bids https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/denmark-disappointed-after-offshore-wind-tender-draws-no-bids-2024-12-05/ Denmark’s latest offshore wind farm tender in the North Sea has failed to attract any bids, authorities said on Thursday, in a further setback for the industry. After a year of challenges, the global offshore wind industry no longer has much prospect of hitting the lofty targets set by governments in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere, hindering efforts to fight climate change. “This is a very disappointing result,” energy and climate minister Lars Aagard said in a written statement…
Denmark had in April launched its biggest offshore wind tender to date, offering no subsidies to companies competing for the right to erect turbines on six sites with a combined capacity of up to 10 gigawatts.
Germany: no bids.
Two offshore wind farm areas in the North Sea failed to attract any bids in the latest auction held by Germany’s Federal Network Agency, which industry groups on Wednesday called unprecedented.
The trade groups said this was the first time an auction for offshore wind farm areas in Germany has failed.
The Bonn-based agency announced that no bids had been submitted by early August. The areas are set to be re-tendered in June 2026, as stipulated by law.
First off, the problems with offshore wind are real, not smoke. As for “old” news, let’s look at Germany. They have an annual offshore wind auction. The one in 2025 (just six months ago) received zero bids. The one for this year was scheduled for this summer, but was cancelled just three days ago. Hardly “old news”
The OP describes ambitious goals for a period five to 15 years from now – certainly aspirational. We shall see how they deal with the basic cost problems. Higher subsidies? High electricity rates? Both?
They are going to build a giant hub and adding 15 GW capacity (equivalent to15 large nuclear power plants) each year and reaching 300 GW capacity (equivalent to 300 large nuclear power plants) by 2050. This is a superior plan to burning expensive fossil fuels imported from USA, Africa, and Middle East.
That’s the plan. At the same time, there has been a lack of bids because of money. My questions remain. How do they deal with the basic cost problems. Higher subsidies? Higher electricity rates? Both?