Vestas, wind turbines and the environment

Vestas manufactures and installs wind turbines that generate sustainable energy. The demand for competitive, clean and sustainable energy will grow in step with the increase of environmental awareness among the global population. In this context, wind power will play an important role, because it can already compete with coal, natural gas, oil and nuclear power when compared on equal terms. Including the costs of pollution and other external expenses in the comparison clearly shows wind power to be even more competitive.

As such wind turbines are beneficial to the environment, particularly as they save large volumes of CO2. As a wind turbine manufacturer, Vestas gives high priority to environmental and occupational health and safety aspects, and the Group has implemented management systems for these areas.

Wind turbines produce sustainable energy
Vestas manufactures wind power systems that generate sustainable energy for customers all over the world. In 2004, Vestas delivered 2,270 wind turbines worldwide, equivalent to a total installed capacity of 2,784 MW.

The power generated annually by these turbines corresponds to the annual electricity consumption of approximately 2.1 million Danish households, as the average annual energy consumption of a Danish household is 3,430 kilowatt hours (kWh) (Source: Energistatistik 2003 (Energy Statistics 2003), published by the Danish Energy Agency). During its 20-year design lifetime, a V90-3.0 MW offshore wind turbine will generate 35 times as much energy as it consumes in its entire life cycle.

By generating sustainable energy, wind turbines contribute to saving volumes of CO2. The power generated annually by the delivered turbines with a total installed capacity of 2,874 MW corresponds to savings of approximately 4,009,000 tons of CO2 as seen in relation to average energy generation in Europe. This calculation is based on the fact that the various other sources of energy production in Europe generate 548 grams of CO2 per kWh (source: Work report from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency No. 27, 2002).

In the UK, Vestas has established the North Hoyle offshore wind farm consisting of 30 V80-2.0 MW wind turbines. Each year, the wind farm will produce electricity to meet the needs of some 50,000 homes and will offset the release of about 160,000 tons of CO2 (source: http://www.northhoyle.co.uk/).

The impact of wind turbines on the environment
Significant forms of impact on the external environment stemming from Vestas' products include the visual impact of the turbines on their surroundings, noise emissions from turbines in operation, and non-recyclable waste from decommissioned turbines. However, it should be stressed that the most significant impact on the external environment stems from the volume of sustainable energy generated by wind turbines.

Find out more about wind turbines and the environment and life cycle assessments and energy balances prepared by Vestas.

Vestas places great emphasis on the environment and occupational health and safety
Vestas considers it natural to show consideration for both the environment and occupational health and safety. Vestas has introduced environmental and occupational health and safety management systems, as they are valuable tools that allow Vestas to implement improvements to the benefit of customers, employees, shareholders, other stakeholders and the environment. In 2004, 57 per cent of the Group’s environmental management systems and 51 per cent of the Group’s occupational health and safety management systems were covered by certification. Overall, Vestas will work to deploy the various environmental and occupational health and safety management systems for everyone within the Group to enjoy the benefits of these systems in their everyday work.

Annual environmental statements
Vestas considers it natural for the Group to communicate its consideration for environmental and occupational health and safety aspects in the development, manufacture, sale, erection and service & maintenance of its wind turbines. That is why Vestas publishes an annual environmental statement that describes environmental and occupational health and safety aspects at Vestas Wind Systems A/S. At the end of 2004, 61 per cent of the Group was covered by the environmental statement. Vestas is working to ensure that all Group sites are included in the annual environmental statement.

Find out more about environmental and occupational health and safety management at Vestas. You can find Vestas' Environmental Statements for 2000–2004 under Environmental reporting.

Find out more about Vestas’ environmental and occupational health and safety policy.