The Joint Statement allows for closer cooperation in offshore wind energy between the three countries. It builds on the ambition declared at the North Sea Summit, held in Ostend last year and attended by the then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Minister Ryan, to accelerate the development of offshore wind in the North Seas, including the Irish Sea, Celtic Sea, and Atlantic Ocean. The nine countries involved in the Ostend Declaration have set offshore wind targets of about 120 GW by 2030 and 300 GW by 2050 in the North Seas. Currently, the North Sea has a combined capacity of less than 30 GW.
This renewed cooperation between the three states will also see the establishment of a working group to produce a report on the shared challenges, opportunities, and solutions to developing offshore renewable energy infrastructure. As part of this, EirGrid, in line with Ireland’s interconnection policy and the development of the country’s forward-looking transmission strategy, will engage with its counterparts in Belgium and the UK. EirGrid will report back to their respective ministries with options for trilateral arrangements between the three countries, including any challenges related to these options. This work is expected to be completed in the first half of 2025.
