9 European nations set to turn North Sea into green power plant

The declaration, signed on Monday at the second North Sea Summit in Ostend, Belgium, sets ambitious targets including the production of at least 120 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy in the North Sea by 2030, reports Xinhua news agency.

The signatory countries also aim to double their total offshore wind capacity to at least 300 GW by 2050.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said at a press conference after the meeting that today’s summit has proved affordable energy can be produced for both citizens and companies.

The declaration aims to accelerate the deployment of offshore renewables and connectivity within the maritime area encompassed by the signatory countries.

It focuses on the mass production of offshore wind and renewable hydrogen, as well as on electricity and hydrogen interconnections and national projects. The declaration also indicates the possibility of co-financing by countries that do not have direct access to the sea.

The nine signatory countries have committed to take measures to promote the balanced coexistence of renewable energy deployment, biodiversity and environmental protection, as well as to contribute to the health and robustness of marine ecosystems.

This second edition of the North Sea Summit brought together the heads of state and government and energy ministers of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Ireland, Norway and the UK, as well as the president of the European Commission and the commissioner for energy.

This declaration is the successor to the Esbjerg declaration, which resulted from the first summit in Denmark on May 18, 2022.