A Windy Alliance in the North Sea

Nine countries pledge 15GW a year, seeking €1trn and tighter coordination for Europe’s offshore build-out

24 Feb 2026

On a grey January day in Hamburg, nine European countries gathered with grid operators and more than 100 energy firms to promise something rare in the region’s energy policy: consistency. The Joint Offshore Wind Investment Pact commits them to install 15 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity each year between 2031 and 2040. In a sector prone to stop-start signals, that is an unusually clear line in the water.

Industry estimates suggest the effort could mobilise up to €1trn in economic activity. This is not a single fund but a projection of capital likely to flow into turbines, cables, ports, hydrogen projects and factories. The hope is that steady volumes will draw steady money.

The pact’s logic is simple. Recent years have exposed the fragility of offshore wind economics. Costs have risen, auctions have faltered and supply chains have strained. Governments now want to reduce uncertainty rather than add fresh targets. By aligning planning cycles, streamlining permits and offering long-term visibility on capacity, they aim to make projects easier to finance.

A central feature is closer cross-border grid planning. Instead of building separate national connections, countries around the North Sea intend to coordinate offshore networks. Joint infrastructure should lower duplication and create a more integrated basin, capable of absorbing large volumes of renewable power. In theory, this will also reduce bottlenecks that have slowed deployment.

The benefits would extend beyond utilities. Turbine-makers, shipyards and port operators have hesitated to expand without firm order books. A predictable build-out could justify new factories and vessels, and encourage training for a larger workforce. For Europe, which fears losing clean-tech manufacturing to rivals, that matters as much as the electrons.

Obstacles remain. Permitting is complex, political alignment fragile and public finances tight. A pledge to coordinate is not the same as delivering cables in the sea.

Still, the pact marks a shift from national ambition to regional execution. If the numbers hold, the North Sea may become not just a field of turbines, but a test of whether Europe can match climate goals with industrial discipline.