Renewable energy giant Ørsted's recycling pledge on solar panels - but what about its wind turbines?

 

The HQ in Denmark of Ørsted - recycling redundant materials is high on company agenda

A LINGERING headache for renewable energy companies such as Ørsted is what to do with turbines once they come to the end of their useful life.

Because not much can be recycled, the destination for much of the redundant material is landfill.

The turbines issue was not on the agenda for Ørsted's chief executive, Mads Nipper, at this morning's presentation to shareholders, but there was a bit of good news.

With immediate effect, he committed the company to reuse or recycle all solar panels from its global portfolio of solar farms, so henceforth nothing thereof will be going to landfill.

Ørsted has a strong presence in Grimsby, which is a hub for maintenance of its windfarms off Hornsea in the North Sea, but it has not, as yet, shown any inclination to develop a portfolio of solar farms on land in North East Lincolnshire.

On the financial front, lower energy prices have reduced profits but  Mr Nipper said the company was "pleased with the results for the first half year of 2023".

Lower-than-average wind speeds in the North Sea reduced power generation at its Hornsea windfarms, but they continue to contribute strongly to earnings.