Possible sabotage, drone overflights and mapping by submarines: the North Sea and its off shore wind farms are vulnerable to hybrid warfare, threatening one of Europe's crucial renewable energy sources. But, who is responsible for security and defence?
As of early 2026, more than 100 offshore wind farms are operating in the North Sea across the exclusive economic zones of Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Denmark and Belgium. Major clusters in the German Bight and off the UK's east coast make the region one of the world's largest offshore wind hubs.
The drone blind spot over offshore energy
The shifting location of these offshore parks raises a question of jurisdiction: are national authorities, private firms or the operators themselves responsible for keeping them secure?
The answer is far less straightforward than in the case of an incident on land. In Germany, for example, if a drone is spotted near critical infrastructure, the police are responsible for dealing with it. If it is flying over a military site, the armed forces are authorised to take defensive action.
