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North Sea countries aim for 300 GW of offshore wind energy by 2050

(EurActiv, 25 Apr 2023) Nine European countries signed the Ostend Declaration on Monday (24 April), aiming to jointly produce at least 120 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030 and at least 300 gigawatts by 2050 in the North Sea.

The declaration, which follows a goal of producing 150 gigawatts (GW) of power in the North Sea by 2050 set by Belgium, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands last year, doubles the previous ambition and brings five more countries on board.

At a press conference ahead of the signing, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo called the summit a “milestone” and welcomed the new countries – Ireland, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK – on board.

In the face of the climate crisis, “Our goal is to deliver a greener Europe, a Europe which is energy independent,” De Croo told journalists.

These are big targets, said Simone Tagliapietra from the economic think-tank Bruegel, noting the EU has 200GW of installed wind capacity, only 15GW of which is offshore.

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EurActiv, 25 Apr 2023: North Sea countries aim for 300 GW of offshore wind energy by 2050