GUH creates taskforce to improve subsea cable reliability, performance
Global Underwater Hub (GUH) has published a white paper on its approach to tackling a crucial issue that could derail the UK’s clean energy ambitions.
The trade and development body, which represents the UK’s £9.2 billion underwater industry, has set out how it aims to improve the performance and reliability of subsea cable systems which are critical elements of offshore wind infrastructure, essential to transmitting electricity from offshore wind farms to the grid.
Globally, over $800 billion of investment in offshore wind farms is anticipated by 2030 and, for the world to hit net-zero emissions by 2050, the generating capacity from offshore wind must increase by a staggering 1,120 GW. Closer to home, the UK government has set ambitious targets of 50GW of installed capacity by 2030.
“This scale of expansion, in both fixed and floating offshore wind, can only be achieved by installing and maintaining hundreds of thousands of kilometers of reliable subsea cables,” said Neil Gordon, CEO of GUH.
“The performance and reliability of these cables is therefore crucial to delivering the UK’s clean offshore power ambition and global net zero targets. But these cables are highly susceptible to damage during installation and operation, leading to substantial insurance claims and costly downtime.”
GUH has identified cable performance and reliability as a major issue which needs to be solved, especially as floating offshore wind, which requires even more complex dynamic cables, becomes an increasing percentage of the overall installed base.
With a world-leading installed base of offshore wind capacity and a strong project pipeline, combined with a stable policy framework, GUH says there is a significant opportunity for the UK’s underwater supply chain to lead the way in subsea cable systems.
In 2024, the Offshore Wind Industrial Growth Plan identified future electrical systems and cables, and the next generation of offshore installation, operation and maintenance as two of five areas in which the UK should be a world-leader. These areas were chosen because of the size and growth of the domestic and international markets, existing UK capabilities and track-record of developing solutions to complex technical challenges such as the deployment of the world’s largest fixed offshore wind farms, coupled with the expertise honed in the oil and gas industry over the last five decades.
GUH’s White Paper sets out the challenges and presents a solution for how the UK can tackle cable performance and reliability and, through first-mover advantage, become a center of excellence for subsea cable systems.
The white paper can be downloaded here.
