EU energy ministers meeting in Hamburg agreed with industry leaders to scale up North Sea offshore wind to 100 GW, aiming to lower energy prices and accelerate deployment toward a longer-term 300 GW target by 2050.
The declaration, signed by nine European governments along with partners including the UK and Norway, comes amid continued unhinged criticism from fossil fuel fan Donald Trump, which European leaders dismissed as they reaffirmed clean energy as a strategic and economic priority.
Officials argued that renewables are cheaper than fossil fuels but warned that slow permitting and grid constraints remain major obstacles, prompting calls for faster approval processes and stronger interconnections. Governments also pledged to develop new cross-border projects, financing frameworks, and investment tools such as contracts-for-difference and power purchase agreements to attract private capital and reduce risk.
Ministers said meeting these targets could cut electricity prices by up to 30% by 2040 while strengthening Europe’s energy security and independence after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Despite the ambitions, the EU is still behind schedule on offshore wind, with industry citing weak auction design, high costs, and supply-chain uncertainty as key factors slowing progress.
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