In a unified step toward a shared vision for offshore wind energy, the energy ministers of the nine North Sea countries met yesterday for their annual meeting in Odense, Denmark, emphasizing their intention to make the North Sea "Europe's green power plant."  1z71

A t statement from the North Seas Energy Cooperation (NSEC) group—which includes the energy ministers of Belgium, Denmark, , , Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Norway—urged the new European Commission to strengthen Europe’s wind energy supply chain and to initiate hybrid offshore wind farms by quickly establishing a cost-sharing framework and creating a dedicated financing mechanism for the sector. 

The ministers further highlighted the importance of the United Kingdom’s full involvement in these initiatives. 

Recommendations for Enhancing the Offshore Wind Supply Chain 

The statement underlined the need for Europe to reconsider its planning strategy for offshore wind energy. Given the significant volumes of offshore wind installations planned for the North Seas in the coming years, relying solely on national supply chains is insufficient. Investments in new and expanded factories require international cooperation and coordination on a basin-wide level, with a robust European supply chain essential for continued offshore wind development. Notably, the EU is now ing this initiative with stricter prequalification criteria in areas like cybersecurity, responsible business conduct, and project execution capacity. 

The involved countries are calling for a “digital transparency tool” to provide visibility across the entire offshore wind value chain. This tool should offer an overview of auction timelines, manufacturing capacities, equipment needs, and port capacities in North Sea countries, ultimately expanding to cover all of Europe, including the UK and Norway. NSEC recommendations emphasize “more effective and constructive cooperation between the UK and NSEC.” 

They also stressed the need to address supply chain bottlenecks, particularly in vessel availability for offshore wind installation and service, port infrastructure, onshore grid connection expansion, and the availability of skilled workers. Europe’s offshore wind supply chain, however, is gaining momentum: by the end of 2025, Europe will have the capacity to produce 9.5 GW of offshore wind turbines annually. 

European companies are investing at least €10 billion in building new factories and expanding existing ones, covering a range of products from wind turbines to foundations, cables, and grid equipment. Europe must continue to facilitate capital access, establish a level playing field with non-European competitors, and drive grid development to ensure the supply chain can meet its goals. 

Redefining Offshore Wind Financing 

With the European Wind Power Package and the EU Action Plan for Electric Grids, the European Commission has introduced significant measures to investments in the wind industry and its underlying infrastructure. The European Investment Bank (EIB) has stepped up its for the European wind sector with crucial counter-guarantees. Still, additional measures at the regional level are needed to ease investment, particularly in hybrid offshore wind farms that connect two or more countries, energy islands, and meshed grids. 

NSEC calls for a new approach to financing offshore wind projects. Discussions have already begun on creating a “regional offshore wind service” that would unlock financing at a basin-wide level. This service could funding for meshed grid infrastructure and hybrid offshore wind projects and help resolve ongoing concerns over cost, risk, and benefit distribution among stakeholders. Europe must establish the regulatory framework and define a cost-sharing formula for hybrid offshore wind projects as soon as possible. Hybrid projects represent the future of offshore wind energy in the North Seas, and the focus now must be on getting the first projects built. 

This new mechanism would be based on voluntary cooperation among the European Commission, member states, private investors, and possibly non-EU countries that might offshore projects. WindEurope welcomes the proposal for a “regional offshore facility.” 

WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson congratulated the North Sea energy ministers "for identifying exactly what needs to be done to accelerate offshore wind energy and for clearly outlining what the EU must address in its five-year term. More steps to strengthen the supply chain. A major boost in network construction, especially for cross-border ‘hybrid’ projects backed by a dedicated offshore wind financing mechanism. And full UK participation in all of this.”