British workers and businesses will benefit from more investment
in the UK's clean energy future, with a new partnership signed
with Norway.
On a visit to Oslo this week, Energy Secretary secured a Green Industrial Partnership with
Norwegian counterparts Ministers Terje Aasland and Cecilie
Myrseth and met with Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
The Energy Secretary also met a number of energy companies to
deepen bilateral relationships and make the case for clean energy
investment in Britain. Norway is a crucial ally in securing our
energy security, which in turn will deliver clean, secure and
cheaper power for British families, whilst securing new clean
energy manufacturing jobs through the Plan for Change.
The ambitious partnership enhances the UK and Norway's
longstanding collaboration on energy and is one of the key
deliverables of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's and Norwegian Prime
Minister Støre's over-arching Strategic Partnership.
It focuses on key areas that support the development of
renewables. These include offshore wind and grid development,
collaboration on the protection of UK and Norwegian offshore
infrastructure and reducing barriers to develop a North Sea hub
for the cross-border storage of carbon dioxide.
This builds on the government's aim for the North Sea to be at
the heart of Britain's clean energy future and to drive economic
growth.
Energy Secretary said:
Energy security is national security – and only by working with
key partners like Norway can we accelerate clean power that we
control, getting us off the rollercoaster of fossil fuels in
these unstable times.
Together we can invest in a clean energy future and take
advantage of the opportunities ahead in the North Sea, with good
clean energy jobs and export opportunities for British business –
delivering growth through our Plan for Change.
Norway's Minister of Energy Terje Aasland said:
Norway and the United Kingdom have a unique relationship in the
energy sector, characterized by innovation and close cooperation
across the North Sea. I am very pleased that today we are
establishing a forward-looking partnership to promote the green
transition and further strengthen the collaboration between our
two countries.
Minister of Trade and Industry Cecilie Myrseth said:
This agreement is important for Norwegian industry, especially
when it comes to securing value chains for raw materials and
clean energy. By combining Norwegian and British strengths, we
can create jobs, develop new industries, and enhance our
competitiveness.
Minister of Climate and Environment, Andreas Bjelland Eriksen
said:
A green transition is crucial if we are to meet our climate
targets, while also creating new jobs. The partnership with the
United Kingdom will strengthen our joint efforts to promote
implementation of the Paris Agreement through international
climate diplomacy. We will also further develop the close
cooperation we have to halt and reverse the deforestation of the
rainforest.
It is estimated that the UK's seas have the potential to store up
to 78 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, which this partnership
could help to unlock to support jobs and reduce emissions across
Europe.
Research also suggests that closer cooperation on the clean
energy transition in the North Seas could lower bills, create up
to 51,000 jobs, and add up to £36 billion to the UK economy. By
2030, the North Sea could provide up to 120GW of offshore wind
generation, which is enough to power over 120 million homes. This
will contribute to the UK and Europe's energy security in a
volatile world, whilst creating significant export opportunities
for British business.
Norway is a key energy partner for the UK, and the new
partnership builds on decades of collaboration and a mutual
commitment to support the development of the UK's offshore
sectors in the North Sea. By working with European partners to
transform the North Sea basin into a low carbon and renewables
powerhouse, the UK can accelerate the global energy transition
and lead efforts to combat climate change on the world
stage.
UK and Norwegian companies are already playing an important role
in driving the energy transition forward. This includes firms
such as Norwegian energy major Equinor which has invested in UK
offshore wind, carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen, as
well as Europe's biggest renewables generator, Statkraft, a major
developer in the UK alongside other Norwegian companies Fred
Olsen and Vårgrønn.
This agreement forms part of the UK-Norway Strategic Partnership,
covering defence, security, energy and the green transition.
Notes to editors
