• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly

2

Summer camps remain a battleground over what it means to be American

3

Current price of oil as of July 13, 2026

1

MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly

2

Summer camps remain a battleground over what it means to be American

3

Current price of oil as of July 13, 2026
Financeoffshore wind
Europe

Danish wind giant’s abysmal 3 months have a lot to do with America, ‘the most painful’ part of its portfolio

Prarthana Prakash
By
Prarthana Prakash
Prarthana Prakash
Europe Business News Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
Prarthana Prakash
By
Prarthana Prakash
Prarthana Prakash
Europe Business News Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 7, 2024, 10:58 AM ET
a number of wind turbines amid water
Orsted-operated offshore wind turbines in Burbo Bank, Liverpool, U.K. The Danish company made a sweeping strategic announcement to cut jobs, pause dividend payments, and exit some markets.Peter Titmuss—UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Danish company Orsted has struggled to keep its promising wind projects alive in recent times. High costs tied to inflation, elevated interest rates, and supply crunches took a toll on Orsted as it wrote off $4 billion linked to two large New Jersey wind projects in October. 

At the time, the company described America as the “most painful part of its portfolio” that it would have to make that hard decision of de-risking from—a blow for President Joe Biden’s administration that had pinned great hopes to the country’s investment in green energy.

Now Orsted has announced a much bigger overhaul is in the works—and it involves job cuts, the suspension of dividends at least until 2025, and its exit from several European markets.

The Copenhagen-listed company’s CEO, Mads Nipper, said in a release Wednesday the changes were aimed at reducing risks and turning Orsted into a “leaner and more efficient organization.”

The company, which currently employs over 9,000 people, will trim up to 800 jobs globally and halt dividend payments until 2025. That’s not all—Orsted also plans to quit its markets in Norway, Spain, and Portugal as part of the new effort.  

“2023 was a challenging year for Orsted. We have learned from the challenges and today, we are announcing a robust business plan with revised strategic growth ambitions for 2030,” Orsted’s outgoing chair Thomas Thune Andersen said in a statement. 

“We now have a new plan in place that will more than double Orsted’s capacity by the end of the decade and fulfill our continued ambition to be a major renewable energy company.”

Orsted, which is majority-owned by the Danish government, has had a tumultuous 12 months, navigating high costs while setting its eyes on big expansion plans in the renewable-energy sector. While some of its obstacles were shared by the larger offshore-wind industry, Orsted’s exposure to the U.S.’s nascent offshore-wind industry complicated matters for the company in 2023. 

Less than a year ago, Orsted announced plans to to spend $68 billion in building green power capacity of 50 gigawatts by 2030—but now its 2030 target has been revised down to between 35 and 38 gigawatts. The company’s shares have plummeted nearly 42% in the last year amid economic and operational challenges, which has forced Orsted to take drastic measures in reinventing itself in some ways.

When approached for comment, representatives at Orsted pointed Fortune to the company’s press release announcing its new strategic move.

Rising from the ashes

Although the wind-energy behemoth is facing tricky times, its turnaround plan might set it up for the future if it plays its cards right, Jonathan Robinson, head of global energy and power research at Frost & Sullivan, told Fortune in an email.

Orsted has had to muddle through inflation that hit the global offshore-wind industry the last two years, said Robinson, which is among the reasons investors view it as risky now. 

“They [Orsted] need to project stability, and part of that is focusing their efforts on their core territories, and minimizing exposure to offshore wind overall. If they can show that they have got things under control and are delivering projects profitably then they will have the chance to expand their operations in the future,” Robinson said.

There are a few things that work in favor of Orsted now: Costs will start cooling in the current year, and governments are already starting to show signs of offering more incentives to offshore wind companies, he said. 

Supply-chain snarls have also been easing compared to earlier years—as seen in the case of Vestas, the world’s largest wind-turbine maker that’s also from Denmark.

“The mood music for the industry should be very different in 2025 and Orsted should be able to ride that to recover some of the ground they have lost,” Robinson said, adding there’s no dearth of opportunities for Orsted in its core markets like Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, and the U.K. 

“Most of these countries cannot take their decarbonization to the next level without offshore wind,” Robinson said, which could mean more growth on the horizon.

About the Author
Prarthana Prakash
By Prarthana PrakashEurope Business News Reporter
LinkedIn icon

Prarthana Prakash was a Europe business reporter at Fortune.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

What is dwelling coverage in home insurance?
Personal FinanceInsurance
What is dwelling coverage in home insurance?
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 14, 2026
4 hours ago
NYS Gov. Kathy Hochul standing at a podium
North AmericaData centers
‘New York will lead the way’: NYS Gov. Hochul’s data center moratorium includes a new model for funding AI infrastructure 
By Tatiana SatauaJuly 14, 2026
4 hours ago
Taco Bell pulls some items as parasite outbreak spreads
RetailTaco Bell
Taco Bell pulls some items as parasite outbreak spreads
By Daniela Sirtori, Lily Meier, Erinn Gardner and BloombergJuly 14, 2026
4 hours ago
‘Close to as good as it gets’: Jamie Dimon just offered another warning on bubbly markets as Wall Street had a monster quarter
BankingJPMorgan Chase
‘Close to as good as it gets’: Jamie Dimon just offered another warning on bubbly markets as Wall Street had a monster quarter
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 14, 2026
5 hours ago
housing
North AmericaHousing
The first major housing law since the 1990s skips the one fix that economists say renters need
By Kirk McClure, Alex Schwartz and The ConversationJuly 14, 2026
5 hours ago
aca
EconomyData centers
Data centers boost jobs 4% in cities and rural economies barely feel a dent, study shows
By Daniel Yue, Yiyang Zeng and The ConversationJuly 14, 2026
5 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly
Newsletters
MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly
By Sydney LakeJuly 14, 2026
7 hours ago
Summer camps remain a battleground over what it means to be American
North America
Summer camps remain a battleground over what it means to be American
By Seth T. Kannarr, Derek H. Alderman and The ConversationJuly 13, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of July 13, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 13, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 13, 2026
2 days ago
The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents
Innovation
The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 12, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, July 14, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 14, 2026
14 hours ago
Current price of gold as of July 13, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of July 13, 2026
By Danny BakstJuly 13, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our and Privacy Policy |  | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.