Energy companies around the world are all striving to find ways to minimize the negative impacts that energy production and consumption have on global warming. Solutions to traditional fossil fuels include harnessing power from solar and wind farms. Ørsted, previously known as DONG, has emerged as one of the world’s leaders in the production of sustainable clean energy through wind farms. Based out of Fredericia, Denmark, Ørsted is the largest energy company in Denmark and, globally, the largest developer of offshore wind power, having built 30% of the world’s offshore wind farms. “We are a renewable energy company with a clear vision: to create a world that runs entirely on green energy,” the company proudly states on its website.

Ørsted’s main wind farm, which happens to be the largest wind farm project ever, is the Hornsea Wind Farm, a cluster of wind farms in the North Sea, 75 miles off the coast of the United Kingdom. Ørsted began construction on Hornsea 1 in 2018, supplying power to the UK within a year. The project expanded to 4 sites and, upon completion, will have a total capacity of 6 gigawatts. Each site will have enough energy to power millions of homes in the UK. However, vigilant maintenance is required to ensure that the hundreds of wind turbines at each site work optimally. Being located in the ocean, these turbines are especially susceptible to damage from waves, saltwater, and air.

“As the name suggests, offshore wind farms are usually located far from shore, requiring service technicians and necessary spare parts to be transported by ship,” Ørsted explains. “Technicians bring their tools and the components most often needed for the wind turbines, but if special spare parts are required, they must go back onshore to get them. On top of this, most spare parts need to be transported from the vessel via cranes to the nacelle. This can be a costly and time-consuming exercise, and the repairs are therefore often delayed until the next day.” This is why Ørsted started using heavy-lift drones, the first offshore wind company to do so, to transport supplies to technicians working on turbines.

The heavy-lift drones can carry upwards of 150 lbs of cargo. They are loaded with everything from emergency equipment to hard-to-find spare parts. The drone’s journey takes about 4 minutes, making repairs 10-15 times faster than traditional methods. Not only are cargo drones reducing wasted time and expenditures, but they are also reducing risks, keeping crews safer by not having to use cranes or take unnecessary trips to get more supplies.

Additionally, drones fit in perfectly with Ørsted’s goal of being a conscientious, environmentally friendly company. “Drones allow us to quickly and efficiently deliver the spare parts needed for wind turbine repairs,” Ørsted explains, “reducing the need for sailing vessels back to shore to get the material needed, and thus minimizing the associated carbon emissions from operating offshore wind farms. By addressing potential issues faster, we’re also minimizing the downtime of wind turbines and producing more green energy.”

After successfully trialing heavy-lift drones at Hornsea, Ørsted has expanded the program to its Borssele 1&2 wind farm sites off the coast of the Netherlands. “Ørsted has led offshore wind’s journey from a niche technology to a cost-competitive and large-scale source of renewable power,” said Ørsted Chief Commercial Officer and Deputy CEO, Rasmus Errboe. “We’ve done this through some big leaps by for example pioneering new turbine models, but also by continuously moving a lot of new and innovative ideas from the drawing board to real life application. The drones at Borssele 1&2 are a great example of this, as they will improve safety, bring down carbon emissions, and reduce the cost of operating offshore wind farms, which all further improve the commercial fundamentals of offshore wind for investors, governments, and corporations.”

Ørsted has become one of the world’s leaders in sustainable energy production by embracing wind power and technology like drones. The company currently produces more than 90% of its energy from renewable sources. They have set a goal to be a net-zero generation company by 2025 and to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2040. By continuing to build sustainable wind farms and deploying zero-carbon drones, Ørsted is well on its way to meeting these goals, simultaneously setting a powerful example of how the energy industry can contribute to a greener, more sustainable future for the planet.

Previous Drone News: