Global Underwater Hub (GUH) has launched a new initiative to tackle subsea cable reliability, a critical factor in offshore wind development, as the UK pushes to meet its clean energy targets.
The industry body, representing the UK’s GBP 9.2 billion (around USD 11.3 billion) underwater sector, has published a white paper outlining the need for improved performance of subsea cable systems, which are essential for transmitting electricity from offshore wind farms to the grid.
According to GUH, with global offshore wind investments projected to surpass USD 800 billion by 2030 and generating capacity needing to rise by 1,120 GW by 2050 to meet net-zero targets, cable reliability has emerged as a key challenge.
The UK government aims for 50 GW of installed offshore wind capacity by 2030, reinforcing the urgency of addressing this issue.
“This scale of expansion, in both fixed and floating offshore wind, can only be achieved by installing and maintaining hundreds of thousands of kilometres 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.”
As floating offshore wind projects expand, requiring complex dynamic cables, GUH has flagged cable reliability as a major risk to both project economics and energy security.
“Cable reliability not only makes offshore wind projects more economically viable but also ensures the energy supply is uninterrupted. It is therefore paramount not only to developers, investors and the industry, but also to the whole country, which will increasingly rely on the power that passes through them,” Gordon added.
GUH’s white paper aligns with the 2024 Offshore Wind Industrial Growth Plan , which identified future electrical systems and cables as a priority for UK industry leadership. The country has an extensive offshore wind pipeline and a track record of engineering solutions for complex offshore energy projects, GUH noted.
“But, in addition to cable reliability, there are other major hurdles to be overcome, varying from supply chain constraints to cost escalation,” said Gordon .
“Unlike fixed offshore wind, floating offshore wind has few standards and no established supply chain. Starting with this ‘clean slate’ and leveraging the vast experience over five decades in offshore oil and gas, the UK has an opportunity to create a new generation of products and services that will unlock this emerging sector.”
To drive progress, GUH is launching the UK Subsea Cable System Forum. Led by an industry steering committee, it aims to influence policy, improve quality control, and establish necessary standards for offshore wind cable systems.
Through collaboration across the supply chain, the forum will develop a roadmap for innovation in system-based design, data sharing, and risk reduction strategies.
“This, in turn, will ensure that the UK becomes well-positioned as an authoritative centre of excellence for reliable subsea cable systems and solutions that enhance the economic viability of offshore wind projects and accelerate the development of floating offshore wind,” Gordon concluded.
In December 2024, the Global Underwater Hub (GUH) called on the UK Government to recognise the scale and potential of the industry and to deliver an industrial strategy to boost investor confidence.