The UK and Germany have forged a new partnership to strengthen renewable energy generation, bringing long-term energy security between both countries.
The agreement will provide a blueprint for cooperation on energy and climate while removing regulatory barriers on renewables, especially offshore wind and electricity interconnection in the North Sea.
Signed by UK Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho and Germany’s Vice- Chancellor, Robert Habeck, the agreement envisions a shared commitment to net zero and energy transition.
It aims to strengthen and promote energy security at both a regional and global level, including discussions on winter preparedness, and infrastructure and supply chain security.
It also seeks to share best practices on heat decarbonisation, energy efficiency, and net-zero policies and strategies across industrial and buildings scales.
The agreement follows the signing of a joint declaration of intent by the two countries in September this year aimed at accelerating development of low-carbon hydrogen production from renewables.
In the field of offshore wind, the agreement can further drive the UK’s ambition of installing up to 50GW, including 5GW of floating offshore wind by 2030. Germany aims to install 30GW by 2030.
The two countries are also building the £2.4bn (€2.23bn) NeuConnect project, a major interconnection project.
Considered to be the first subsea electricity cable between the UK and Germany, it will, upon completion in 2028, help transmit enough clean energy to power around 1.5 million homes.
Phase one of NeuConnect's major construction has been concluded this week.
Presently, another interconnection project between the UK and Germany is being developed. It is subject to approval from Ofgem.
UK Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho said: “The UK and Germany agree on the importance of clean, affordable energy and we both recognise its crucial role in growing our economies and guaranteeing national and global energy security.
“We are already working together in the North Sea to deliver our world-leading offshore wind ambitions, as well as linking our countries with subsea electricity cables.
“Today’s agreement will see us extend and deepen our partnership to ensure we continue to lead Europe and the world in making the green transition.”
Habeck said: “Germany and the UK face similar challenges. We have made good progress regarding the transition towards climate neutrality, but there is still a long path ahead of us. Cooperation with reliable partners can help all partners to advance not only faster, but better.
“We can learn from each other’s experiences, share knowledge and work together to reach our common goals. The joint declaration signed today builds upon a long history of cooperation and provides a sound framework for successfully working together in future.”
