Orsted
ESRS disclosure: ESRS E5 \ DR E5-2 \ Paragraph 20d
Tags Tree
- Provide a detailed account of the actions and resources implemented to achieve higher levels of resource efficiency in the use of technical and biological materials and water. Include specific references to critical raw materials and rare earths as identified in the Raw Materials Information System.
-
Question Id: E5-2_01
We have identified key materials fundamental to the construction of our global portfolio of renewable energy projects across offshore and onshore wind, solar, and battery energy storage systems (BESS). To enhance our understanding and management of resource inflows, we are actively working with suppliers to explore lower-emissions alternatives and aim to establish closer collaboration for obtaining data on the composition of their products, including the percentage of reused or recycled materials. Steel is a primary focus at this stage, given its significant role in renewable energy infrastructure and its high potential for recyclability. The use of scrap steel is a norm in steel production, with its content varying across geographies and reflecting established industry practices. Approximately 80% of the steel we source used in the production of steel plates for foundations comes from Europe, where supplier data indicates that, on average, 35% of the material used in these plates derive from scrap. While we account for geographic variability in our presentation, reflected in a range of 20 - 35%, our current estimates place us at the upper end. Lower-emissions steel offers a dual benefit: It minimises greenhouse gas emissions and, depending on the production method, can reduce reliance on virgin iron ore. Steel produced via electric arc furnaces (EAFs), which use scrap steel as feedstock, significantly lowers the need for virgin iron ore compared to traditional blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) methods that rely heavily on it. Even though recycled content is widely used in steel production, low-emissions steel still has a limited market availability. Closing this gap is key to cutting emissions, reducing reliance on virgin materials, and advancing a more circular steel industry. Thus, our focus is on sourcing lower-emissions steel, as it represents the most impactful opportunity to drive meaningful progress in reducing the environmental footprint of steel production. In addition to steel, critical raw materials, such as copper, aluminium, and rare earth elements (REEs), are essential for renewable energy technologies but present negative impacts and risks related to the depletion of virgin materials and the scarcity of supply. Improving the recyclability of materials such as plastics and glass fibres, including composites used in wind turbine blades, is a priority to reduce reliance on finite resources and ensure sustainable materials.
Report Date: 4Q2024Relevance: 85%
- Provide a detailed description of the application of circular business practices within your organization. Specifically, outline any actions and resources dedicated to the following areas: (i) value retention actions, including maintenance, repair, refurbishing, remanufacturing, component harvesting, upgrading, reverse logistics, closed loop systems, and second-hand retailing; (ii) value maximisation actions, such as product-service systems and collaborative and sharing economy business models; (iii) end-of-life actions, including recycling, upcycling, and extended producer responsibility; and (iv) systems efficiency actions, such as industrial symbiosis. Ensure that your response aligns with the requirements set forth in Disclosure Requirement E5-2 and ESRS 2 MDR-A.
-
Question Id: E5-2_04
In 2024, we completed the decommissioning of our onshore wind farm Owenreagh 1 in Northern Ireland, which had been in operation since 1997 and consisted of 10 wind turbines with a total capacity of 5 MW. We did so in collaboration with Plaswire, with whom we entered into a partnership in 2023. Plaswire enables the recycling of wind blades, as they specialise in the shredding, granulating, and re-moulding required to turn the blade material into, for example, durable polymer. Durable polymer is typically used in the construction industry, and as a result, some of the retired blades may end up being used to produce road marking poles for some of our new onshore wind farms in Ireland, replacing the use of virgin plastics in our own projects. Similarly, we work with the US solar recycling company SOLARCYCLE on the treatment of defective and retired solar panels. With the installation of various solar assets in the US in 2024, we have, where necessary, sent damaged panels to SOLARCYCLE for recycling, demonstrating our ambition to recycle retired solar panels. Our collaborations with Plaswire and SOLARCYCLE are examples of how we engage with partners on our material resource-related impacts. Over the past few years, we have successfully carried out several small-scale recycling pilots in the US and the UK and will continue to leverage retired blades and panels from our assets to help accelerate the maturation of promising, innovative, recycling technologies and solutions in our markets going forward.
Report Date: 4Q2024Relevance: 60%