The Hamburg Declaration, signed on Monday by ministers from ten European countries, anticipates the construction of up to 100 GW of joint offshore wind projects in the North Sea. Politicians emphasized the security dimension of renewable energy and further reduction of energy imports, including gas imports from the United States.
The third International North Sea Summit is attended by energy ministers from Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom. While the main focus is on expanding cross-border cooperation on supplying energy to Europe, security issues are also high on the agenda.
In addition to the need to ’definitively and forever’ terminate the dependence on energy imports from Russia, the summit also discussed increasing LNG imports from the United States.
Strategy of independence: Commissioner Jørgensen
In his opening address, Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen emphasized the security aspect of further developing renewable energy sources. He identified offshore wind energy as the most important source. “It is our European strategy of independence,” said Mr. Jørgensen. He said that the EU will soon terminate all gas imports from Russia, adding that it is a strong signal to Moscow that the EU will never again allow weaponizing energy supplies.
We will soon terminate all gas imports from Russia. It is a strong signal to Moscow that the EU will never again allow weaponizing energy supplies. – Dan Jørgensen, Commissioner for Energy and Housing
Katherina Reiche, Germany’s Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, pledged to deliver 100 GW offshore projects through cross-border cooperation in the coming years. “We will build the largest clean energy project in the world in the North Sea,” Ms Reiche said. She also pointed out the need to better defend against hybrid attacks on energy installations and networks, which she said occur “practically every day.”
Brexit forgotten
Although the term ’Brexit’, referring to the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU, was not mentioned at all in the British Minister Edward Miliband’s speech, it was clear from his words that, at least in the energy sector, Brexit has been forgotten. “Offshore wind projects are the backbone of the clean energy system,” said Mr. Miliband who serves as UK’s Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
We in the United Kingdom can only gain from the cooperation with Europe. – Edward Miliband, UK’s Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
Mr Miliband repeatedly emphasized the need for close cooperation with partners from EU countries. “We see it critical to work closely with our European partners (…) We in the United Kingdom can only gain from the cooperation with Europe,” Secretary Miliband said.
A clear answer to the United States
Several questions from media representatives at the press conference focused on whether ministers also see the planned massive increase of offshore wind energy as a response to growing LNG imports from the United States. According to the Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analyses, EU may soon risk new energy dependency—this time on the United States.
Offshore energy is clearly for winners. – Edward Miliband, UK’s Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The answers were clear. “Every single common offshore project makes us more resilient,” said Minister Reiche in a rather diplomatic manner. Seceretary Miliband was much more straightforward. “Offshore energy is clearly for winners,” he said in an apparent reference to the words of the US President Donald Trump. Last week Mr Trump said at the World Economic Forum in Davos that “wind turbines are for losers”.
