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| The giant substation that will serve the 165-turbine Hornsea 2 windfarm (Photo: Ørsted) |
RENEWABLE energies giant Ørsted says it is "comfortable" that its suppliers in China are not using forced labour.
In Grimsby, the Danish company is best-known for its offshore windfarms, but it has many other interests all over the world.
For instance, in the USA it is also a big player in solar power.
However, it says there has been a slowdown in one of its projects in Texas because of delivery hitches stemming from "forced labour allegations towards a number of solar panel suppliers in China".
The company says it has signed up to the Solar Industry Forced Labour Prevention Pledge - an industry-led initiative that "will develop a solar supply chain traceability protocol to identify the source of primary raw materials".
On top of that headache, there have been issues related to potential increases in US tariffs on goods from China.
On the UK front, there is more upbeat news.
All the foundations of its 165 turbines at Hornsea 2 have now been installed as well as 142 array cables and 116 of the turbines.
The first power will be generated later this year after transmission is connected to the national grid.
Although low wind speeds in the North Sea for much of 2021 have resulted in lower-than-expected energy generation, the negative effect on earnings over the first nine months of the year has been offset by increased revenue from its interests in biomass-fuelled heat and power generation.
With profits continuing to increase, the Danish company is still very much on the expansionist trail and is currently developing offshore wind opportunities off the coasts of China, Vietnam and Poland.
Says Mads Nipper, president and chief executive of Ørsted: "We are very pleased that our robust business model and active approach to risk management resulted in good financial results in the third quarter despite low wind speeds and unusual market conditions."
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