Orsted ‘planning major job cuts’ due to lack of projects
By Cosmo Sanderson | Published 6 October 2025, 15:35
Offshore wind giant Orsted is reportedly planning a major round of layoffs, which could take place as soon as next week, amid a slowdown in new projects and ongoing challenges in the global wind sector.
According to the Danish newspaper Berlingske, around 20% of the company’s workforce could be cut, and top executives have already been briefed on the plans. Orsted currently lists over 8,400 employees across 73 offices worldwide on its official website.
Staff have reportedly been informed that a “right-sizing” process is underway. This comes after the Danish offshore wind leader twice scaled back its 2030 investment targets over the past two years due to market headwinds.
At the start of 2024, Orsted had targeted 50GW of renewable capacity by 2030, but that goal was cut to 35–38GW early last year, and again to 27GW this year under new CEO Rasmus Errboe — just over half of the original plan.
In February, Errboe hinted at further job cuts beyond the up to 800 positions already announced as part of a strategic overhaul aimed at improving efficiency and reducing costs.
Context:
Once hailed as a symbol of the global energy transition, Orsted now faces severe pressure from rising costs, high interest rates, supply chain disruptions, and a lack of long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs). Many of its offshore projects in both the US and Europe have been delayed or downsized, forcing the company to reassess its investment strategy and focus on financial stability over expansion.
