The four countries want to make this maritime space the “green power plant of Europe” to do without Russian hydrocarbons.
Le Monde with AFP
Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium announced Wednesday, May 19, wanting to install for nearly 150 gigawatts of wind turbines in the North Sea by 2050, to make it the “green power plant from Europe “and do without Russian hydrocarbons.
“We want to multiply by four our total capacity in wind at sea by 2030 and ten by 2050,” said Danish Prime Minister, puts Frederiksen, alongside the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and the Dutch and Belgian Prime Ministers, Mark Rutte and Alexander de Croo, as well as the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. “Fixing the vision is not enough, we will make a reality,” promised M me frederiksen during a press conference in Esbjerg, a port of the North Sea in the West Denmark. An intermediate objective of 65 gigawatts was set for 2030, according to the declaration.
A power of 150 gigawatts in marine wind power provides the electricity necessary for 230 million households, depending on the four signatory countries. With the most powerful offshore wind turbines currently on the market, a power of 150 gigawatts corresponds to around 15,000 to 20,000 turbines.
alone, the four countries would represent half of the objective set by the EU for wind at sea by 2050.
out “as soon as possible “Russian dependence
The announcement occurs jointly with a plan of 210 billion euros presented by the European Commission, which provides for an acceleration of renewable energies and energy savings to free itself “as quickly as possible” from gas imports Russian, in reaction to the war in Ukraine.
Europeans have already announced the end of Russian coal imports from August and an oil embargo for the end of the year is being discussion among the member states. The commission said in March wanting to reduce its Russian gas purchases by two thirds this year and in whole before 2030.
The Commission proposed on Wednesday to enhance its objective due to renewables in the energy mix by 2030, which would drop from 40 % to 45 %. On the climate level, the EU aims to drop in greenhouse gas emissions of at least 55 % by 2030 and carbon neutrality in 2050.