UK to join major wind farm project with eight European countries

The UK is set to back a vast new fleet of offshore wind projects in the North Sea alongside eight other European countries, including Norway, Germany and the Netherlands.

The government says the deal will boost energy security by providing an escape from what it calls the “fossil fuel roller coaster”.

For the first time, some of the new wind farms will be connected to several countries by undersea cables called interconnectors, which supporters of the project say should lower prices in the region.

But this could prove controversial as wind farm operators could compare countries to sell electricity to the highest bidder, which could drive up electricity prices when supply is limited.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband will sign a statement at a meeting on the future of the North Sea in the German city of Hamburg on Monday, pledging to complete the project by 2050.

Jane Cooper, deputy chief executive of industry body RenewableUK, said the deal would “reduce costs for bill payers” and “significantly increase the energy security of the UK and the wider North Sea region”.

But Claire Countinho, shadow energy secretary, warned that “we cannot escape the fact that the rush to build wind farms at breakneck speed is driving up everyone’s energy bills.”

A network of undersea cables already connects the electricity networks of European countries – the UK has 10 – but connecting wind farms directly to several countries will be a first.

Most energy economists agree that more connections between the UK and other European networks should reduce costs and improve security of supply.

The UK’s National Grid published a paper earlier this month suggesting such an arrangement could reduce so-called constraint payments, made when wind farms are asked not to produce electricity because the power grid is too congested.

A separate report says UK consumers have benefited from savings of £1.6 billion from the nine existing undersea cables linking the UK to Europe since 2023.

National Grid said the cables help mitigate price rises because, thanks to time zone differences, excess energy generated elsewhere off-peak can be sold more cheaply in the UK.

But interconnections have proven controversial in Norway, where there are concerns that selling electricity to foreign countries could reduce supply to Norwegian customers and therefore increase the price they pay.

To prevent this from happening, the government has introduced new rules aimed at restricting electricity exports where domestic supplies could be at risk.

Norway has also refused permission to build a new interconnector with Scotland.

NATO and the European Commission are also participating in the summit, which is expected to include commitments to strengthen the security of offshore energy infrastructure amid growing concerns about sabotage and dangerous maritime activities.

The agreement underlines Europe’s continued commitment to wind energy, despite renewed criticism from US President Donald Trump, who again attacked what he called “windmills” during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

North Sea countries committed three years ago to developing 300 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity. This new agreement means that 100 GW of the total will be built jointly. 20 GW is expected to be underway by 2030.

China is currently the world leader in offshore wind power, with 43 GW of the world’s 83 GW installed capacity, according to a report published last year by industry body RenewableUK.

The United Kingdom comes in second place, with almost 16 GW already in operation. The UK government has awarded contracts for a further 20 GW, including 8.4 GW agreed in a record tender earlier this month.

The government has been criticized by conservatives for “blocking” high prices for offshore wind power.

Reformers have also repeatedly attacked the cost of net zero, but the Liberal Democrats and Greens both support the development of renewable energy to combat the threat of climate change and boost green jobs.

SNP and Plaid Cymru also support the growth of offshore wind, but argue that Scotland and Wales should control their energy resources.

Additional reporting by Miho Tanaka.