The North Sea already plays a crucial role in the energy supply of Northwest Europe, equivalent to 70% of the region's primary energy consumption, but production has already peaked in some fields and will inevitably decline in the coming decades.

The North Sea also has huge potential for supplying renewable energy resource potential. Wind energy is the obvious first choice, but wave, tidal and osmotic energy conversion technologies will also be viable options in the near to mid-term, perhaps even marine bio-energy.