UK signs agreement on offshore renewable energy cooperation
Published by Jessica Casey,
Editor
Energy Global,
The UK Minister for Energy and Climate, Graham Stuart, has signed a landmark agreement on renewable energy cooperation with EU and North Seas countries.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the North Seas Energy Cooperation (NSEC) forum fulfils commitments in the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), enabling the UK to work with NSEC members to develop renewables projects in the North Seas – specifically projects linking electricity interconnectors and wind farms. The countries involved include Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and the European Commission, signalling a new phase in UK-EU co-operation.
The MoU sets out the terms for future cooperation between the UK and NSEC and enables closer cooperation in the development of offshore renewable energy, including offshore grids in the North Seas.
The initiative is expected to support the UK’s ambitious targets to increase offshore wind fivefold to 50 GW, and deliver 18 GW of electricity interconnector capacity – up from 8.4 GW today– by 2030.
Stuart said: “I’m pleased to agree even greater energy cooperation with our North Seas neighbours, which will be vital in helping the UK meet it ambitious renewables target, including increasing offshore wind fivefold to 50 GW by 2030.
“The development of renewables in the North Seas is critical for accelerating our clean transition and boosting energy security for the UK and our European neighbours.”
The UK currently sends and receives electricity through cables that link the country with neighbours like France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The agreement bolsters the mission to facilitate further interconnection.
Analysis by National Grid Electricity System Operator shows that a well-integrated grid linked to offshore wind farms can deliver savings to consumers of up to around £3 billion.
For more news and technical articles from the global renewable industry, read the latest issue of Energy Global magazine.
Energy Global's Winter 2022 issue
The Winter 2022 issue of Energy Global hosts an array of technical articles focusing on wind, solar, energy storage, geothermal, and more. This issue also features a regional report on the Australian renewables sector.
Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/wind/19122022/uk-signs-agreement-on-offshore-renewable-energy-cooperation/
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