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Biodiversity pilot projects

From tracking marine mammals to protecting grasslands, we are gaining knowledge and building experience

To realise our biodiversity ambition, we need to test new ideas, refine methods, and learn what works in practice with our assets. That’s why we’re running a diverse portfolio of pilot projects – exploring innovative solutions and scaling the ones that prove most effective.

Covering initiatives both on land and at sea, our projects span the globe. We’re tracking marine mammals, restoring wetlands, studying fish migration, planting mangroves, and protecting grasslands. From owls in Arizona to oysters in the North Sea, each project deepens our understanding of specific ecosystems and species and strengthens our ability to protect them.

Together, these pilots are giving us valuable insights, technologies, and partnerships that will help make sure that all new Ørsted projects commissioned from 2030 onwards deliver a net-positive biodiversity impact.


Pilot project portfolio


The projects below illustrate the breadth and depth of our investigations.

Wilder Humber – Restoring coastal ecosystems

We’re partnering with the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire wildlife trusts on a seascape restoration project in the Humber Estuary, one of the UK’s most important conservation sites.
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ReCoral – Supporting coral reefs in Taiwan
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We are attempting to settle and grow coral larvae on the turbine foundations at our Greater Changhua offshore wind farms in Taiwan.
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BioReef – Marine restoration with WWF and DTU Aqua

We’re working with WWF and the Technical University of Denmark’s Institute of Aquatic Resources to restore biogenic reefs in the North Sea region, helping to create new habitats, increase biodiversity, and improve water quality.
Learn more

Restoring marine ecosystems with ARK Nature

Through our partnership with ARK Nature, we’re exploring how nature-inclusive design and ecological restoration can strengthen marine habitats around offshore wind farms.
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Boosting biodiversity on land
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Working with environmental organisations, local communities, research institutions, and the energy industry, we support several biodiversity initiatives at our onshore wind and solar farms.
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Protecting native tallgrass prairies in Texas

We’ve taken steps to preserve almost 1,000 acres (approx. 0.4 km2) of the tallgrass prairie that grows around our Mockingbird Solar Center in the US state of Texas.
Learn more

Identifying owl habitats
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How can burrowing owls coexist with solar panels? That is the question students at Arizona State University in the US have set out to answer – funded by an Ørsted grant.
Learn more

Learn more about biodiversity and sustainability 

Biodiversity Measurement Framework

The first of its kind in the energy industry, our Biodiversity Measurement Framework distils a wide range of complex sustainability standards, local regulations, and cross-sector initiatives into a single practical tool. Read more about it here.

Our blue bond

Launched in 2023, this five-year EUR 100 million private placement is a financial instrument that can help drive economic growth and broader ocean stewardship across the private sector. Learn more here about the bond and the four project areas its net proceeds support.
technician on wind turbine

Decarbonisation

We met our target of reducing the intensity of our scope 1 and 2 emissions by 98% from 2006 to 2025 – and are now tackling scope 3 emissions from sales of gas and our supply chain. All this will help us meet our 2040 net-zero target for greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more here.
Three technicians in front of the building

Community impact

It is our position that Ørsted projects should benefit the communities where we operate. We want to be a positive force, and we depend on good relations and trust to succeed with our projects. Discover how we’re living up to this responsibility in communities around the world.