By the numbers: How we build a world that runs on renewable energy

Ørsted has over three decades of experience in building renewable energy and is today among the world’s leading renewable energy companies, with a broad range of solutions to help decarbonise the world’s energy systems to limit global warming.

At Ørsted, we have a vision to create a world that runs entirely on green energy. The production and use of fossil fuels account for nearly 75 % of global carbon emissions. To limit climate change and power the world sustainably, we must drastically accelerate the transformation of the world’s energy systems from fossil fuels to renewables.

We transformed from a fossil-fuel based energy company to a green energy company in a little more than a decade by investing significantly in renewables. We have reduced our carbon emissions by 89 % since 2006, and the share of green energy in our energy generation rose to 90 % by the end of 2021.

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Offshore wind, onshore wind, and solar PV are cornerstone technologies in the global transformation to renewables. They help avoid emissions from fossil fuels by displacing fossil fuels from the energy mix. All three technologies are at the core of the green solutions we provide to countries to help them transition to renewable energy.

Our target is to have built 50 GW of energy generation capacity across all green energy technologies by 2030, including 30 GW in offshore wind capacity. The green energy we provide displaces carbon emissions that would otherwise have come from fossil-based energy, such as coal or gas. In 2021 , our green energy solutions helped avoid 15.1 million tonnes of carbon emissions.

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Targets in Ørsted’s decarbonisation programme

By 2023

By 2023, we aim to phase out coal completely. We’ve reduced the coal consumption in our heat and power production by 91 % since 2006 by replacing it with sustainable biomass. One remaining coal-fired power plant will be shut down by 2023 .*

By 2025

By 2025, we aim to be carbon neutral in our operations and energy generation by reducing our carbon emissions by at least 98 % compared with 2006, and by eliminating or covering the remaining emissions with offset projects certified to remove atmospheric carbon.
We will continue to reduce carbon emissions beyond 98 % by switching to electric vehicles in the company car fleet , in line with the EV100 requirements, and finding other reduction opportunities in the energy generation and operations.

By 2030

By 2030, we aim to build 50 GW of green energy across technologies – enough to power more than 80 million people.

By 2032

By 2032, we aim to reduce emissions from energy trading and in the supply chain by 50 %, as compared with 2018, to align carbon reductions across the entire carbon footprint with the 1.5°C pathway.

By 2040

By 2040, we aim to reach net-zero emissions across our entire carbon footprint - a decade ahead of the 1.5°C pathway - by driving out remaining emissions from energy trading and from the supply chain.

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* Following orders from the Danish authorities, Ørsted must delay its target to stop using coal one year to 2024. Ørsted maintains its goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2025.

To ensure the security of the electricity supply in Denmark, the Danish authorities have decided to order Ørsted to continue and resume operations of three of its Danish power station units. This applies to two units which use coal as their primary source of fuel, and one which uses oil as fuel. One of these is Ørsted’s last coal-fired powerplant in operation, scheduled to be decommissioned on 31 March 2023, and the two other units have already been decommissioned.

The Danish authorities have ordered Ørsted to keep the three units in operation until 30 June 2024.

Sustainability report 2022

Green energy to power lasting positive impact

Discover how our renewable energy solutions are contributing to a planet where nature and people thrive

Sustainability report