The eight countries bordering the Baltic Sea will seek to increase offshore wind capacity in the basin sevenfold to at least 19.6 GW by 2030 in a push to enhance energy security in the region and ditch Russian fuel imports.
The ambitious plan was presented at the Baltic Sea Energy Security Summit that took place on August 30 in Copenhagen. The countries that signed the declaration include Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
With a target for 6.3 GW of offshore wind in the Baltic Sea, Denmark will contribute the largest share of the combined goal, followed by Poland which aims to have 5.9 GW by the end of this decade.
To reach the target, the eight countries will cooperate to build more connections between their electricity grid with the continental European network and implement joint cross-border hybrid projects, such as the energy island Bornholm.
The wind energy capacity currently in operation in the Baltic totals only 2.9 GW but the potential for offshore wind power in the basin is estimated at up to 93 GW.
Commenting on the declaration, Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities Dan Jorgensen said: ”The Russian invasion of Ukraine and Putin’s use of energy as a weapon has brought Europe to the brink of an energy crisis. But the Summit shows that we can disarm this weapon and show the world that energy should not be used as a tool of oppression, but as a source of peace, cooperation and prosperity”.
The Baltic Sea declaration aligns with the European Commission's offshore wind strategy, which has a target of expansion with 300 GW of offshore wind by 2050.
"By working together, we can achieve more and quicker, that is the task of the day. The benefits of regional cooperation are immense. When offshore wind turbines are connected to multiple countries, the costs are reduced, the impact on the environment is minimised, and the energy production never goes to waste [...]", said EC President Ursula von der Leyen in a speech at the summit.
Earlier this week, Denmark and Germany agreed to expand the capacity of the Bornholm energy island project in the Danish part of the Baltic Sea to 3 GW from 2 GW and connect it to Germany.
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