European countries bordering the North Sea have signed a major agreement at the third North Sea Summit in Hamburg, Germany, to accelerate offshore wind energy development and transform the region into what officials are calling the world’s largest energy hub or “clean energy reservoir”.
The deal, known as the Hamburg Declaration, involves 10 nations: Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom. It commits to delivering up to 100 gigawatts (GW) of additional offshore wind capacity through joint, cross-border projects.
This builds on earlier pledges, such as the 2023 Ostend Declaration targeting 120 GW by 2030 and at least 300 GW by 2050 overall for the region. Wind farms will feed electricity directly into multiple countries’ grids via interconnected high-voltage undersea cables, improving efficiency, sharing costs, and enhancing energy security.
The initiative aims to attract massive investment—potentially €1 trillion around £867 billion by 2040—while providing planning certainty for developers through standardized approaches like Contracts for Difference (CfDs). It emphasizes resilience against geopolitical risks, including reducing dependence on fossil fuel imports particularly in light of ongoing issues with Russian energy supplies and protecting infrastructure from potential sabotage.
German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche stated: “Our goal is to develop the world’s largest energy hub.” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the North Sea as aspiring to become the “largest reservoir of clean energy worldwide.”
EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen framed it as a “very clear signal to Russia,” saying it ends vulnerability to energy “blackmail” and avoids indirectly funding conflicts through fossil fuel purchases. Industry groups like WindEurope welcomed the move as Europe “doubling down” on offshore wind amid challenges like rising costs and investor hesitation.
This comes against a backdrop of current installed capacity around 35 GW as of late 2025, far short of prior targets, and broader global shifts—including U.S. policy under President Trump opposing wind power and recent tensions over Greenland.
The agreement supports Europe’s transition to clean, homegrown energy, potentially powering hundreds of millions of homes long-term, creating jobs, and lowering consumer costs through better interconnection.
The Hamburg Declaration, signed by 10 North Sea-bordering nations (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom), represents a major step in accelerating offshore wind development.
It targets up to 100 GW of additional capacity through joint, cross-border projects by 2050, as part of the broader 2023 Ostend Declaration goal of 300 GW total offshore wind in the region. This could power around 143 million homes and transform the North Sea from a historic oil basin into Europe’s premier “clean energy reservoir” or hub.
The deal directly addresses vulnerabilities exposed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and energy “weaponization.” By expanding homegrown renewables and interconnections, Europe reduces reliance on imported fossil fuels especially from Russia, cutting exposure to price volatility, supply disruptions, and geopolitical blackmail.
EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen called it a “very clear signal to Russia” and a path to true energy independence. Enhanced security measures for offshore infrastructure against sabotage, cyber threats, or hybrid attacks were discussed, with NATO involvement and proposals to design some assets for dual-use.
This bolsters regional stability amid ongoing global tensions. The agreement is projected to unlock massive private investment—potentially €1 trillion about £867 billion by 2040—through better planning certainty, standardized tools like Contracts for Difference (CfDs), joint cost-sharing, and cross-border frameworks.
This de-risks projects for developers, attracts capital amid recent industry challenges, and supports supply chain growth in ports, vessels, and manufacturing. Industry groups like WindEurope and Ørsted hailed it as “doubling down” on offshore wind, with potential to lower electricity costs by up to 30% toward 2040 via efficient sharing and interconnection.
It also promises job creation—estimates include tens of thousands of “future-proof” roles in construction, operations, and related sectors—while boosting European industrial competitiveness and value retention.
Scaling offshore wind accelerates Europe’s decarbonization, cutting emissions significantly and supporting net-zero goals. It aligns with EU targets and reduces fossil fuel imports, saving billions annually while mitigating climate impacts.
A core innovation is hybrid assets: wind farms connected via multi-purpose undersea interconnectors to multiple countries’ grids simultaneously. This improves efficiency (e.g., balancing supply across borders), shares infrastructure costs, and enhances grid resilience.
Existing interconnectors will expand, with specific bilateral deals (e.g., Germany-UK, Belgium-Netherlands) paving the way for an interconnected offshore grid. This could stabilize supply, reduce curtailment, and integrate with emerging hydrogen infrastructure.
The timing contrasts sharply with U.S. policy under President Trump, who has criticized wind power and called investing nations “losers.” Europe’s push signals continued commitment to renewables despite transatlantic divergences, potentially positioning the continent as a global leader in clean energy amid U.S. shifts away from wind.
While ambitious, success depends on execution—overcoming regulatory hurdles, supply chain constraints, and cost pressures. Current North Sea capacity is around 35-37 GW as of late 2025/early 2026, so ramping to 100 GW joint projects plus the rest to reach 300 GW will require sustained momentum, financing, and protection against threats.
Overall, this pact strengthens Europe’s energy sovereignty, fosters deeper regional cooperation including post-Brexit UK-EU alignment on grids and markets, and positions the North Sea as a cornerstone of a secure, affordable, low-carbon future.
Industry reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, viewing it as a historic boost for the sector. Examples of North Sea offshore wind farms and conceptual interconnectors, showing the scale and interconnected nature of these developments.
