Energy ministers from 10 EU countries are meeting in Esbjerg, in Denmark, to take the next steps in promoting the expansion of offshore wind.
As the initiative’s chair for this year, Denmark will gather energy ministers and representatives from the North Sea Cooperation to gain an insight into the potential of the North Sea for offshore wind.
The ministerial meeting will focus on the results of the collaboration in its first three years.
It is intended that the 10 countries will reaffirm commitment to continued cooperation, whilst identifying next steps.
One of the challenges to be addressed will be to reach a decision on how the North Sea Cooperation can continue in light of the UK’s decision to leave the EU.
As a result of the cooperation, a calendar of tenders has been produced so that the countries can do more to coordinate their supply chains and avoid costly bottlenecks.
Before the official programme of the ministerial meeting begins, the ministers and representatives of the 10 countries of the North Sea cooperation will be flown out to Horns Rev 2.
The tour will show some of the practical challenges that the cooperation can help to resolve, for example, through developing wind farms in relation to each other in order to best use wind resource and sites.
Denmark will, for the subsequent ministerial meeting, obtain a mandate from the other member states to use the autumn to prepare a new work programme.
The countries in the North Sea Cooperation are Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Ireland, the UK, France, Norway, Sweden, Germany and Denmark, in addition to the participation of the European Commission.