Ørsted is a Danish energy company that owns and operates wind farms across multiple countries

Ørsted (formerly DONG Energy) is a publicly traded company based in Denmark that builds and runs offshore and onshore wind farms. The company operates wind projects in Denmark, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, and other countries. If you see "Ørsted" on your electricity bill or in news about a wind farm near you, it means Ørsted either owns the wind farm, operates it, or both.

Ørsted does not sell electricity directly to most home customers. Instead, the company generates power from wind and sells it to the grid or to large commercial buyers under long-term contracts. Your local utility company then buys some or all of that power and resells it to you. This matters because it means Ørsted's decisions about where to build wind farms and how much power to generate affect the overall electricity supply in your region, which can influence your rates over time.

The company is one of the world's largest offshore wind operators. Offshore wind farms—those built in the ocean—generate more power per turbine than onshore farms because ocean winds are stronger and more consistent. Ørsted's focus on offshore wind means the company invests heavily in the technology and infrastructure needed to build and maintain turbines in saltwater environments.

Key Takeaways

  • Ørsted is a Danish company that owns and operates wind farms in multiple countries, including the United States, and sells the power they generate to utilities and large buyers.
  • Most of Ørsted's projects are offshore wind farms, which produce more electricity per turbine than onshore farms because ocean winds are stronger.
  • Wind power from Ørsted and other companies reduces the need for fossil fuel power plants, which can lower long-term electricity costs and carbon emissions in your region.
  • Ørsted wind farms require years of planning, environmental review, and permitting before construction begins, which is why projects often take five to ten years from announcement to operation.
  • If you live near a proposed or operating Ørsted wind farm, local government meetings and public comment periods are where you can learn about the project and voice concerns.

Where Ørsted operates wind farms in the United States

Ørsted has built or is building wind farms in several U.S. states. The company's largest U.S. projects are offshore wind farms off the coasts of New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maryland. These projects are designed to send power to the grid serving the Northeast, where electricity demand is high and many older coal and natural gas plants are being retired.

The company also operates onshore wind farms in states including Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. These inland projects tend to be smaller than the offshore farms but still contribute significant power to regional grids. Ørsted also owns and operates wind farms through partnerships and acquisitions, so some projects may not carry the Ørsted name on the turbines themselves.

If you live in a state where Ørsted operates, you may see wind turbines branded with the Ørsted logo, or you may straightforward see the power show up in your utility's energy mix. Most utilities publish annual reports showing what percentage of their power comes from wind, solar, natural gas, nuclear, and other sources. You can check your utility's website to see whether Ørsted wind power is part of your electricity supply.

How offshore wind farms generate electricity and connect to the grid

Offshore wind turbines work the same way as onshore turbines: wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft connected to a generator that produces electricity. The main difference is location and scale. Offshore turbines are larger (often 12 to 15 megawatts per turbine) because they can be bigger without the noise and shadow-flicker concerns that affect onshore projects near homes.

The electricity generated by offshore turbines travels through underwater cables to a substation on shore, where it is converted to the right voltage and frequency to match the grid. From there, it flows into the regional transmission system and is distributed to utilities, which then deliver it to homes and businesses. This process happens invisibly—you do not see the underwater cables, and the power mixes with electricity from other sources before reaching your home.

Offshore wind farms produce power most reliably during fall and winter, when ocean storms and strong winds are common. This timing is actually useful for utilities in the Northeast, where heating demand peaks in winter. Summer winds are lighter, so offshore farms produce less power then, but solar farms and other sources typically make up the difference.

The timeline and costs of building a wind farm

A new wind farm project typically takes five to ten years from initial planning to the first power flowing to the grid. The timeline breaks down roughly as follows: site selection and preliminary studies (1–2 years), environmental review and permitting (2–4 years), financing and construction (2–3 years), and testing and grid connection (6–12 months).

Environmental review is the longest and most uncertain phase. Ørsted and other developers must study how the wind farm will affect birds, marine life, fishing, shipping, and local communities. Federal and state agencies review these studies and hold public comment periods. If concerns are significant, the project may be redesigned, delayed, or rejected.

The cost of an offshore wind farm is substantial—often $2 billion to $4 billion for a large project—but the cost per megawatt of capacity has fallen significantly over the past decade as the technology has matured. Ørsted finances these projects through a mix of company capital, bank loans, and partnerships with other energy companies. Some projects also receive tax credits or other incentives from state or federal governments.

How wind power affects your electricity rates

Wind power does not directly lower your electricity bill, but it can affect rates over time. When a utility adds wind capacity, it reduces the need to run expensive natural gas or coal plants during windy periods. This lowers the utility's operating costs, which can translate to smaller rate increases or, in some cases, lower rates.

However, the relationship between wind power and rates is complex. Building a wind farm requires upfront capital investment, which utilities recover through rates over 20 to 30 years. A utility that builds or buys wind power may see higher rates in the short term but lower rates in the long term compared to a utility that relies on fossil fuels, because wind has no fuel cost once the turbines are built.

Your state's energy policy also matters. Some states require utilities to source a percentage of their power from renewables (called a renewable portfolio standard). These mandates push utilities to buy wind power, which can increase rates but also drives down the cost of wind technology through economies of scale. Other states have no such requirement, so utilities choose wind based on economics alone.

Environmental and community concerns about Ørsted wind farms

Offshore wind farms raise concerns about impacts on marine life, particularly whales and other large animals that migrate along the coast. Ørsted and regulators work to minimize these impacts through measures like seasonal construction windows, noise-reduction technology, and ongoing monitoring. However, the long-term effects of offshore wind farms on marine ecosystems are still being studied.

Onshore wind farms can affect bird and bat populations, though the number of birds killed by wind turbines is small compared to deaths from collisions with buildings, power lines, and vehicles. Ørsted projects include bird and bat surveys before construction and monitoring during operation to detect and address problems.

Some communities object to wind farms for reasons including visual impact, noise, property values, and concerns about construction disruption. These concerns are legitimate and worth raising during public comment periods. However, the evidence on property values is mixed—some studies show no effect, while others show small declines near onshore turbines. Offshore wind farms are far enough from shore that they have minimal visual or noise impact on most residents.

How to find information about Ørsted projects near you

If Ørsted is planning or operating a wind farm in your area, you can learn about the project through several channels. Start with your state's energy office or public utilities commission website, which typically lists all proposed and operating wind projects. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) also maintains a database of energy projects, including wind farms.

Ørsted's own website lists its projects by region and includes fact sheets, environmental reports, and contact information for project managers. Local newspapers often cover wind farm proposals, and local government websites post notices of public hearings and comment periods. If you want to voice concerns or support, these public comment periods are the place to do it—regulators are required to consider public input before approving projects.

You can also contact your local utility directly to ask whether they have contracts with Ørsted or plan to buy power from Ørsted wind farms. Many utilities publish annual sustainability reports that list their power sources and future plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Ørsted wind power come to my home?

Possibly, but you would not know it directly. If your utility buys power from an Ørsted wind farm, that power flows into the regional grid and mixes with electricity from other sources. Check your utility's annual report or website to see what percentage of their power comes from wind and whether Ørsted is one of their suppliers.

Can I opt in to buy only Ørsted wind power?

Some utilities offer "green power" or "renewable energy" programs that let you pay a premium to support wind and solar projects. These programs do not may provide that the electrons you use come from wind—the grid does not work that way—but they fund renewable energy development. Ask your utility whether such a program exists and whether it includes Ørsted projects.

How much noise do Ørsted offshore wind turbines make?

Offshore turbines are typically 5 to 12 miles from shore, so noise is not a concern for residents. Onshore turbines produce a low humming sound audible from about 300 feet away under quiet conditions. Ørsted projects are sited to maintain distance from homes, and some states have minimum setback requirements.

What happens to Ørsted wind turbines at the end of their life?

Most turbines have a lifespan of 20 to 25 years. At the end of that period, Ørsted can replace the turbines with newer, more efficient models (called repowering) or decommission the site. Blades and other materials are increasingly being recycled rather than sent to landfills, though recycling technology is still developing.

How does Ørsted decide where to build wind farms?

Ørsted uses wind resource maps, grid capacity studies, and land or ocean lease availability to identify potential sites. The company then conducts environmental and community studies before explore for permits. Sites must have strong, consistent winds, access to the electrical grid, and regulatory approval from federal and state agencies.