In response to widespread industry speculation over the alleged secret plan under Project Dragon to procure Chinese wind turbines, Ørsted, the world’s largest offshore wind developer, has issued an official clarification. At the first-quarter earnings press conference, CEO Rasmus Errboe explicitly stated that Ørsted has no intention of purchasing Chinese wind turbines in the short term, addressing growing market concerns.
Ørsted CEO Rasmus Errboe
Earlier, Danish newspaper Berlingske revealed that Ørsted was advancing an internal initiative codenamed Project Dragon, which planned to source Chinese offshore wind turbines for deployment between 2026 and 2028.
On May 6, Rasmus Errboe publicly clarified the company’s stance: “Ørsted currently operates no projects using Chinese turbines, and there are no plans to adopt them in our project pipeline.” The statement marks a clear shift from the company’s more open stance earlier this year of not ruling out any potential suppliers.
At the same time, Rasmus Errboe maintained a commercially pragmatic attitude. He emphasized that offshore wind is a global industry, and supply chain cost reduction relies on full market competition. He did not deny the technical, cost and overall competitive strengths of Chinese wind turbines. His position aligns with that of former CEO Mads Nipper, as both have refused to completely rule out long-term cooperation, leaving room for future strategic adjustments.
Ørsted’s latest remarks reflect deep divisions within the European wind sector over Chinese wind equipment. On one hand, energy firms including RWE and Vattenfall continue engaging with Chinese turbine manufacturers. Michael Hannibal, Danish Chair of the Global Wind Energy Council, has warned that excluding Chinese supply chains will slow Europe’s wind installation expansion. On the other hand, industry bodies such as Green Power Denmark oppose market opening, prompting European developers to adopt a more cautious approach.
As Ørsted Energy has clearly stated that it will not purchase Chinese wind turbines in the short term, the short-term implementation of the "Dragon Project" has decreased. The process of Chinese wind turbine manufacturers entering the core markets of Europe is facing new uncertainties. The industry competition over market openness and industrial protection will continue.
