Europe has a dream to make the North Sea a clean energy powerhouse — but it could cost 1 trillion euros ($1.1 trillion).
Nine countries including Britain, Germany and France are pledging a vast expansion of wind power to turn their seas into “Europe’s green power plant”.
Their vision is to cut bills, create jobs, meet climate goals and end their reliance on energy exporters such as Russia.
To do it they will need to “get serious” about paying for skilled engineers, building undersea cables and handing out permits for wind farms more quickly, industry insiders said on Tuesday.
The targets are steep and would involve a tenfold increase in Europe’s offshore firepower by 2050.
Ministers and experts from the nine countries hope joining forces will speed up the process.
The 18 projects pledged by leaders at a summit in Belgium on Monday include new undersea cables between offshore wind farms, Britain and the European mainland.
“With an interconnected system you can better utilise the fact that [the wind] always blows somewhere,” John Olav Tande, an offshore wind scientist from Norwegian research group Sintef, told The National.
“If it doesn’t blow, the sun is shining. And of course there will be some occurrences where you don’t have wind or solar generation and then you can use hydro generation from Norway or you can use hydrogen or other backup resources.”
The nine countries — Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway and Ireland — set a target of 300 gigawatts of offshore wind power capacity by 2050.
Europe as a whole currently has 30GW capacity, according to industry group Wind Europe.
“To meet this 300GW target, we are talking of investments in the range of 1 trillion euros. It’s not an exact number but it’s in that range,” Mr Tande said.
“You have to have an increased capacity of manufacturing. Industry needs to be built up to deliver. Of course you also need competence-building, you need a whole new generation of engineers, and you need innovations.”
But he said: “For me it’s clear that it can be done. In a way, it must be done, if we shall solve the climate crisis and transfer from fossil fuels to renewables.”
The projects planned by North Sea countries include:
· Building 120GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 as a stepping stone to the 300GW mid-century target;
· Working together on the “physical and cyber security” of offshore platforms;
· A pilot project in Germany to produce green hydrogen offshore;
· A system of “energy islands” run by Belgium, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands, hosting wind turbines and power infrastructure;
· New undersea cables between Britain and its mainland neighbours the Netherlands and Belgium, and potentially Germany;
The UK, France, Ireland, Norway and landlocked Luxembourg joined the green alliance after an initial four-nation summit last year.
The pledges in Ostend on Monday will “will give us all the wind we need in our sails to set the course onto climate neutrality,” quipped European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
Wind power installation stalled in 2022 despite the scramble to replace Russian gas following the invasion of Ukraine.
Germany struggled to drum up interest in wind and solar power auctions, while offshore capacity across Europe increased by only 2.5GW, mostly in the UK.
Industry figures blamed supply chain problems, the cost of raw materials and components and pricing that they said did not take the wider social value of clean energy into account.
Opening their annual meeting on Tuesday, Wind Europe representatives said it was “time to get serious”.
They set out five demands including a faster approval process, investment in skills and factories, a market redesign and expanding the electricity grid.
“There is no use producing renewable electrons if they cannot reach the people and businesses that need to power,” the group said in a statement.
Pal Eitrheim, a vice president of Norwegian oil and gas giant Equinor, said companies also needed inflation brought under control.
“The war in Europe has shown us how fragile energy security can be. We need to build up sustainable supply chains capable of delivering unprecedented growth in wind power,” he said.
The biog
Mission to Seafarers is one of the largest port-based welfare operators in the world.
It provided services to around 200 ports across 50 countries.
They also provide port chaplains to help them deliver professional welfare services.
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Seoul from Dh3,775 return, including taxes
The package
Ski Safari offers a seven-night ski package to Korea, including five nights at the Dragon Valley Hotel in Yongpyong and two nights at Seoul CenterMark hotel, from £720 (Dh3,488) per person, including transfers, based on two travelling in January
The info
Visit www.gokorea.co.uk
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m; Winner: Gurm, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Al Nafece, Al Muatasm Al Balushi, Mohammed Ramadan
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Adrie de Vries, Ibrahim Aseel
6.30pm: Arabian Triple Crown – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Ottoman, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7pm: Liwa Oasis – Group 2 (PA) 300,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Hakeemat Muscat, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Ganbaru, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
McLaren GT specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh875,000
On sale: now
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Tell the Machine Goodnight' by Katie Williams
Penguin Randomhouse
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
The biog
Favourite book: Men are from Mars Women are from Venus
Favourite travel destination: Ooty, a hill station in South India
Hobbies: Cooking. Biryani, pepper crab are her signature dishes
Favourite place in UAE: Marjan Island
UAE v IRELAND
All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi
1st ODI, Friday, January 8
2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10
3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12
4th ODI, Thursday, January 14
Persuasion
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Dubai World Cup Carnival card:
6.30pm: Handicap (Turf) | US$175,000 | 2,410 metres
7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (Dirt) | $100,000 | 1,400m
7.40pm: Handicap (T) | $145,000 | 1,000m
8.15pm: Dubawi Stakes Group 3 (D) | $200,000 | 1,200m
8.50pm: Singspiel Stakes Group 3 (T) | $200,000 | 1,800m
9.25pm: Handicap (T) | $175,000 | 1,400m
BRIEF SCORES:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Other key dates
-
Finals draw: December 2
-
Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
-
Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
-
Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
THE BIO
Ms Al Ameri likes the variety of her job, and the daily environmental challenges she is presented with.
Regular contact with wildlife is the most appealing part of her role at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.
She loves to explore new destinations and lives by her motto of being a voice in the world, and not an echo.
She is the youngest of three children, and has a brother and sister.
Her favourite book, Moby Dick by Herman Melville helped inspire her towards a career exploring the natural world.
When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
