Energy ministers from nine North Sea countries signed the ‘Hamburg Declaration’ at the North Sea Summit in Hamburg on 26 January, agreeing to work towards up to 100 GW of cross-border offshore wind capacity in the North Seas by 2050, while also advancing offshore renewable hydrogen as part of a more integrated regional energy system.
The declaration confirms the wider ambition of reaching 300 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2050, first outlined in earlier Esbjerg and Ostend agreements, and builds on the work undertaken by the North Seas Energy Cooperation (NSEC). The Hamburg Declaration was signed by energy ministers from Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom, with Iceland joining as an observer to the declaration.
The new agreement puts a stronger focus on cross-border projects, rather than relying only on national offshore wind developments, as part of a goal to move electricity across borders, improve security of supply and reduce overall system costs.
As a first concrete step, the declaration sees up to 20 GW of cooperation projects that the transmission system operators (TSOs) and developers are already planning for the 2030s, which would open the path towards much larger cross-border offshore wind development later on.
The energy ministers also agreed on the need for closer coordination of offshore grid planning across the North Seas. National offshore plans are expected to better align with regional and European planning processes, while participation remains voluntary and national planning powers are respected.
The declaration also outlines plans to develop an Offshore Financing Framework to support cross-border projects, improve access to capital and ensure that costs and benefits are shared fairly between countries.
The agreement of the energy ministers underpins the offshore wind investment pact signed today, which aims at mobilising very large investment volumes for the North Sea region, cutting the costs of offshore wind and building 15 GW of offshore wind per year from 2031 to 2040. In the pact, the governments agreed to boost support for offshore wind projects through Contracts for Difference (CfDs) and to remove regulatory obstacles to power purchase agreements (PPAs).
Through the declaration, the energy ministers also agreed to step up cooperation on offshore renewable hydrogen with an aim to enhance cooperation in research, development and demonstration on its production, and to support efforts to encourage hydrogen offtake in hard-to-abate sectors.
“Cooperation projects will support the integration of vast amounts of renewable electricity across the North Seas Region, improve security of supply, and can lower consumer prices across Europe. Some projects may be linked to offshore hydrogen production for better utilisation. Offshore renewable and low-carbon hydrogen could help to reduce reliance on fossil energy imports from other regions and strengthen energy security” , the Hamburg Declaration reads.
The ministers also committed to faster permitting, stronger protection of offshore energy infrastructure, and support for the supply chain and workforce.
On accelerating permitting, the ministers agreed that the nine countries will explore the potential to advance offshore projects through coordinated planning and permitting, including cooperation on environmental impact assessments.
“The participating EU Member States acknowledge the European Grids Package’s measures to simplify and accelerate permitting procedures for all grid infrastructure, renewable energy projects, storage projects and recharging stations while ensuring public acceptance and benefit-sharing” , the energy ministers state in the declaration.
For the UK, the declaration says the country is committed to reforming its planning system to accelerate the transition to clean power by 2030.
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