Orsted has been named 2020 Transatlantic Company of the Year by the American Chamber of Commerce in Denmark (AmCham Denmark) in recognition of the former’s expertise and innovation in offshore wind in the US.
AmCham Denmark also said Orsted had been singled out for its ability to form successful partnerships in research and innovation.
The announcement came at AmCham’s virtual 2020 Transatlantic Summit, which included the participation of Danish Ambassador to the US Lone Dencker Wisborg and the US Ambassador to Denmark Carla Sands.
AmCham Denmark said the annual award highlights the important contributions of Danish companies investing in the US and is promoted in partnership with the American-Danish Business Council in Washington DC.
An independent jury comprised of Jorgen Bardenfleth, Lars Sandahl Sorensen and Sanna Suvanto-Harsaae selected Orsted from a group of four finalists, which included DSV, Kamstrup and Haldor Topsoe.
Bardenfleth said the jury was especially impressed by Orsted’s fast growing success in the US, and the company’s ability to create successful partnerships in the communities where they operate.
Orsted North America Offshore chief executive Thomas Brostrom said: “Orsted has taken its Danish roots and world-class expertise in offshore wind development to an emerging US market.
“We have been awarded six offshore wind projects and once they are built, we can deliver clean electricity to 2 million households on the Eastern seaboard, putting us up front as leaders in the development of this fast-growing industry.”
Orsted has also expanded into onshore wind, solar and battery storage facilities in the US.
Bardenfleth said Orsted’s aptitude in bringing job creation and training, economic development, and important investments to local communities on the East Coast was an important point for the jury’s decision.
Brostrom said: “We believe the growth of renewable energy in the United States can spur social development and make the planet cleaner.
From Denmark to America, Orsted is living up to its promise to create a more sustainable future.”
AmCham executive director Stephen Brugger said the purpose of the award is to highlight the importance of transatlantic trade and investment, and to showcase examples for others to follow.
“The sustainability sector can be volatile, and despite challenges in the current U.S. market, Orsted has remained committed to the US – investing massively and positioning a Danish company of the future, which we hope will serve as an inspiration to others,” he said.