The UK and a group of European partners have signed a new agreement that will transform the North Sea into one of the world’s most important hubs for clean energy
The agreement, known as the Hamburg Declaration, was signed at the North Sea Summit in Hamburg. The signing of the Hamburg Declaration is a major step in joint action on energy security, climate goals, and economic resilience.
The agreement brings together the UK, Germany, Norway, France, Denmark, and several other European nations in a shared commitment to accelerate offshore wind development at an unprecedented scale.
The agreement highlights the proposal of delivering 100 (GW) of offshore wind power through joint projects, enough to supply electricity to millions of homes and businesses across the continent.
Energy and security independence
The Hamburg Declarations come at a time of global instability and volatile fossil fuel markets. European governments are increasingly focused on reducing reliance on imported oil and gas, particularly in light of recent geopolitical tensions and energy supply shocks.
By pooling resources and coordinating development in the North Sea, participating countries aim to strengthen energy sovereignty while ensuring a more stable and affordable power supply. Clean energy is positioned not only as a climate solution, but as a core pillar of national and regional security.
Dhara Vyas, Chief Executive of Energy UK, said:
“The UK’s energy sector is fully behind the landmark efforts to be announced at the Hamburg North Sea Summit to transform the North Sea into a truly regional clean power hub. Delivering the goal of 100 GW of offshore cooperation projects by 2050 will require a relentless focus on maintaining the momentum of UK-EU alignment on electricity market coupling and ETS linkage.
“This deeper cooperation on supply chains, standardisation, and shared infrastructure is not just a strategic necessity, it is the most effective way to bring down energy costs for households and businesses while fuelling sustainable economic growth and high-value jobs for years to come”
Joint offshore wind on a new scale
For the first time, North Sea countries have formally agreed to deliver a significant portion of their offshore wind capacity through shared projects.
This includes innovative offshore wind “hybrid assets” which are wind farms that connect directly to more than one country using subsea interconnectors.
This will allow clean electricity to flow wherever it is most needed, improving efficiency and reducing overall system costs. It also limits the environmental and visual impact on coastlines by streamlining infrastructure.
A connected North Sea grid
A key outcome of the summit is a push toward a more interconnected offshore electricity grid. The UK is working with Germany, Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands on joint planning, cost-sharing, and market arrangements to speed up the delivery of cross-border projects.
This coordinated grid is expected to support faster deployment of renewables, encourage private investment, and create export opportunities for UK firms specialising in advanced grid and subsea technologies.
Economic Growth and Jobs
The Hamburg Declaration builds on recent momentum in the UK’s offshore wind sector, following a record-breaking auction that secured 8.4 GW of new capacity and attracted billions of pounds in private investment.
Offshore wind already supports tens of thousands of jobs, and the Hamburg Declaration is expected to drive further growth across manufacturing, ports, engineering, and supply chains.
