Editing North Sea (section)

===Renewable energy===
{{further|Renewable energy in the European Union|List of offshore wind farms in the North Sea}}

Due to the strong [[prevailing winds]], and shallow water, countries on the North Sea, particularly Germany and Denmark, have used the shore for [[wind power]] since the 1990s.<ref>{{cite book
|author1=LTI-Research Group
|author2=LTI-Research Group
|title=Long-term Integration of Renewable Energy Sources into the European Energy System
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q9r6aYDLwkgC&pg=PA206
|access-date=12 January 2009
|year=1998
|publisher=Springer
|isbn=978-3-7908-1104-9
|archive-date=17 April 2023
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417084723/https://books.google.com/books?id=q9r6aYDLwkgC&pg=PA206
|url-status=live
}}</ref> The North Sea is the home of one of the first large-scale [[offshore wind farm]]s in the world, [[Horns Rev]] 1, completed in 2002. Since then many other [[wind farm]]s have been commissioned in the North Sea (and elsewhere). As of 2013, the 630&nbsp;[[megawatt]] (MW) [[London Array]] is the largest offshore wind farm in the world, with the 504 (MW) [[Greater Gabbard wind farm]] the second largest, followed by the 367&nbsp;MW [[Walney Wind Farm]]. All are off the coast of the UK. These projects will be dwarfed by subsequent wind farms that are in the pipeline, including [[Dogger Bank Wind Farm|Dogger Bank]] at 4,800&nbsp;MW, Norfolk Bank (7,200&nbsp;MW), and Irish Sea (4,200&nbsp;MW). At the end of June 2013 total European combined offshore wind energy capacity was 6,040&nbsp;MW. The UK installed 513.5&nbsp;MW of offshore wind power in the first half-year of 2013.<ref name=EWEA2013>[http://www.ewea.org/fileadmin/files/library/publications/statistics/EWEA_OffshoreStats_July2013.pdf The European offshore wind industry -key trends and statistics 1st half 2013 ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160430023032/http://www.ewea.org/fileadmin/files/library/publications/statistics/EWEA_OffshoreStats_July2013.pdf |date=30 April 2016 }} EWEA 2013</ref> The development of the offshore wind industry in UK-controlled areas of the North Sea is traced to three phases: coastal, off-coastal and deep offshore in the period 2004 – 2021.<ref>Moss, Joanne "Critical perspectives: North Sea offshore wind farms.: Oral histories, aesthetics and selected legal frameworks relating to the North Sea." (2021) https://uu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1611092/FULLTEXT01.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231024154520/https://uu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1611092/FULLTEXT01.pdf |date=24 October 2023 }} Retrieved 2 October 2023</ref>

The expansion of offshore wind farms has met with some resistance. Concerns have included shipping collisions<ref>{{cite web
|title = New Research Focus for Renewable Energies
|publisher = Federal Environment Ministry of Germany
|year = 2002
|url = http://www.bmu.bund.de/files/pdfs/allgemein/application/pdf/new_research.pdf
|page = 4
|access-date = 8 December 2008
|archive-date = 17 December 2008
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081217143715/http://www.bmu.bund.de/files/pdfs/allgemein/application/pdf/new_research.pdf
|url-status = dead
}}</ref> and [[Environmental effects of wind power#Offshore|environmental effects]] on ocean ecology and wildlife such as fish and migratory birds,<ref>{{cite web
 |author       = Ecology Consulting
 |publisher    = United Kingdom Department for Business, Enterprise, & Regulatory Reform
 |title        = Assessment of the Effects of Offshore Wind Farms on Birds
 |year         = 2001
 |url          = http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file20258.pdf
 |access-date  = 16 January 2009
 |url-status   = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20090205005628/http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file20258.pdf
 |archive-date = 5 February 2009
}}</ref> however, these concerns were found to be negligible in a long-term study in Denmark released in 2006 and again in a UK government study in 2009.<ref>[http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2235062/study-finds-offshore-wind-farms Study finds offshore wind farms can co-exist with marine environment] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090916234624/http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2235062/study-finds-offshore-wind-farms |date=16 September 2009 }}. Businessgreen.com (26 January 2009). Retrieved on 5 November 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.offshore-sea.org.uk/consultations/Offshore_Energy_SEA/OES_Non_Technical_Summary.pdf Future Leasing for Offshore Wind Farms and Licensing for Offshore Oil & Gas and Gas Storage] {{webarchive|url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20090522203401/http%3A//www.offshore%2Dsea.org.uk/consultations/Offshore_Energy_SEA/OES_Non_Technical_Summary.pdf |date=22 May 2009 }}. UK Offshore Energy Strategic Environmental Assessment. January 2009 (PDF). Retrieved on 5 November 2011.</ref>
There are also concerns about reliability,<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Kaiser|first=Simone|author2=Michael Fröhlingsdorf|magazine=Der Spiegel|title=Wuthering Heights: The Dangers of Wind Power|date=20 August 2007|url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,500902,00.html|access-date=16 January 2009|archive-date=25 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125110804/http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,500902,00.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and the rising costs of constructing and maintaining offshore wind farms.<ref>{{cite news
|publisher =BBC News
|title =Centrica warns on wind farm costs
|date =8 May 2008
|url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7391056.stm
|access-date =16 January 2009
|archive-date =1 December 2008
|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20081201140506/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7391056.stm
|url-status =live
}}</ref> Despite these, development of North Sea wind power is continuing, with plans for additional wind farms off the coasts of Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK.<ref>{{cite web |publisher =New Energy Focus |title =Centrica seeks consent for 500MW North Sea wind farm |date =22 December 2008 |url =http://newenergyfocus.com/do/ecco.py/view_item?listid=1&listcatid=32&listitemid=2068&section=Wind |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20230214163141/http://newenergyfocus.com/do/ecco.py/view_item?listid=1&listcatid=32&listitemid=2068&section=Wind |url-status =usurped |archive-date =14 February 2023 |access-date =16 January 2009 }}</ref> There have also been proposals for a [[North Sea Offshore Grid|transnational power grid in the North Sea]]<ref>{{cite news |last =Gow |first =David |newspaper =The Guardian |title =Greenpeace's grid plan: North Sea grid could bring wind power to 70m homes |date =4 September 2008 |url =https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/sep/04/windpower.renewableenergy |access-date =16 January 2009 |location =London |archive-date =3 November 2014 |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20141103101428/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/sep/04/windpower.renewableenergy |url-status =live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Wynn |first=Gerard |work=Reuters |title=Analysis – New EU power grids in frame due to gas dispute |date=15 January 2009 |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUKLC493972 |access-date=30 March 2022 |archive-date=30 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220330041407/https://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUKLC493972 |url-status=live }}</ref> to connect [[North Sea Wind Power Hub|new offshore wind farms]].<ref name=hub>{{cite web |url= http://www.tennet.eu/our-key-tasks/innovations/north-sea-infrastructure/ |title= North Sea Infrastructure |publisher= [[TenneT]] |date= March 2017 |access-date= 25 March 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170308233832/http://www.tennet.eu/our-key-tasks/innovations/north-sea-infrastructure |archive-date= 8 March 2017 |url-status= dead }}</ref>

Energy production from [[tidal power]] is still in a pre-commercial stage. The [[European Marine Energy Centre]] has installed a wave testing system at Billia Croo on the Orkney mainland<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.emec.org.uk/wave_site.asp| title=Billia Croo Test Site| publisher=[[EMEC]]| access-date=1 November 2008| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227231203/http://www.emec.org.uk/wave_site.asp| archive-date=27 December 2008}}</ref> and a tidal power testing station on the nearby island of [[Eday]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.emec.org.uk/tidal_site.asp| title=Fall of Warness Test Site| publisher=[[EMEC]]| access-date=1 November 2008| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201165129/http://www.emec.org.uk/tidal_site.asp| archive-date=1 December 2008}}</ref> Since 2003, a prototype [[Wave Dragon]] energy converter has been in operation at Nissum Bredning fjord of northern Denmark.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.wavedragon.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=14| title=Prototype testing in Denmark| publisher=[[Wave Dragon]]| year=2005| access-date=1 November 2008| archive-date=3 January 2009| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090103112148/http://www.wavedragon.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=14| url-status=live}}</ref>