Recently, at the North Sea Summit 2026 in Hamburg, the governments of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom, alongside the wind industry and transmission system operators (TSOs), signed the Joint Offshore Wind Investment Pact for the North Seas.
The pact will turn the North Sea into the green power plant of Europe, reaffirming 300 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2050. The pact also ensures a more evenly distributed offshore build-out between 2031 and 2040, charting a path of up to 15 GW installed capacity per year in Europe.
At the same time, the governments will work towards a sound investment framework for offshore renewables through mechanisms such as national and cross-border two-sided contracts for difference (CfDs) and power purchase agreements (PPAs).
Rasmus Errboe, President and Chief Executive Officer at Ørsted, says, "The Joint Investment Pact is a giant leap towards powering Europe with renewable, reliable, and cost-competitive electricity. The Pact shows the leadership taken by the countries in realizing the offshore potential of the North Sea, and Ørsted is ready to answer the call by investing in the build-out.
“Europe is our core market – with 35 years of experience and about 90% of our operating capacity based here, our offshore wind portfolio already produces enough electricity to power around 22 million Europeans, and we're ready to add to this number.”
Today, 58% of EU's energy is imported. With the pact to help secure 300 GW of offshore wind in the North Sea, the offshore wind industry – which already employs around 100,000 people across Europe – is set to help save Europe around €70 billion on fossil fuel imports, cut electricity prices, and reduce European carbon emissions by 15%.
In addition, expanding production from offshore wind will significantly improve European energy security and independence.
The pact agreed today reflects the recommendations presented by the offshore wind industry in April 2025 in the proposal for 'A New Offshore Wind Deal for Europe', and the recommendations in Ørsted's report: Offshore wind at a crossroads which emphasizes the need for collective commitments from both governments and industry. Today's joint pact delivers on this by addressing build-out volumes, risk-sharing, and cost reductions, contributing to deliver offshore wind at whole new scale.
Facts about Ørsted and offshore wind in Europe
