UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has told an energy summit in London that the "world has changed" with "Russia weaponising energy" having increased insecurity globally and locally.
He was speaking at a conference being attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, with whom he will meet to discuss ways to improve post-Brexit cooperation ahead of an EU-UK summit next month.
The energy conference, which concludes tomorrow, has been organised to help coordinate international efforts to improve energy security by transitioning to cleaner power.
Britain plans to largely decarbonise its electricity sector by 2030. The UK government kicked off the meeting - at which Minister of State Timmy Dooley is representing Ireland - by pledging to invest €350m for offshore wind projects.
Security of energy supplies shot up the agenda of countries around the world after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to global price spikes and has seen the EU seek to curb its reliance on Russian fuels.
The bloc is expected to announce a more detailed phase-out strategy in May.
The UK already ranks as the world's second-largest offshore wind market by capacity, after China, but spiralling costs amid high inflation and supply chain bottlenecks have hit the sector.
UK government-backed GB Energy, established last year to drive investment in renewables, will invest in existing offshore wind component manufacturers making components like floating offshore platforms and cables.
The funding is part of the €9.7 billion pledged for GBEnergy during the current government term, with individual companies able to apply for grants by the end of the year.
