WIRE 2026 TECHNICAL ARTICLE NO. 1

Dynamic cables for a dynamic offshore market

Wind turbines are learning to float. In the future, they will be installed far off the coast, in harsh environments at great ocean depths. These floating offshore wind turbines will increasingly be used to take advantage of the strong and consistent winds, contributing to the energy transition. New dynamic high-voltage cables will become an enabler.

Offshore wind energy is already making waves – “it is set to grow worldwide, having recorded the second-highest number of new installations in 2023,” explains the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). In 2023, the wind industry installed 10.8 GW of new offshore wind capacity, bringing the total global capacity to 75.2 GW. The new capacity increased by 24 percent compared to the previous year.

Offshore market for the energy transition
The GWEC expects this growth rate to continue until 2030 if the political momentum remains. The GWEC anticipates that Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Brazil, Colombia, Ireland and Poland will be the next markets for offshore wind expansion. According to the GWEC, 410 GW of new offshore wind capacity will be installed over the next decade. This rapid expansion must be based, among other things, on increased cooperation between industry and government. And manufacturers of cable machines and cables are happy to make their contribution to this.

Huge offshore potential of the deep sea
An important piece in the puzzle of offshore success is the use of the strong winds far from the coasts. Conventional offshore wind farms have so far been unable to take advantage of these inhospitable areas which are more than 60 meters deep and far from the mainland and account for 80% of the entire ocean surface. This is unfortunate because, as the cable system manufacturer Nexans explains, “stronger and more consistent wind speeds translate to a more reliable source of energy”.
The aim is to exploit the enormous potential of the deep sea in the future. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, for example, emphasizes that floating offshore wind turbines are now a beacon of hope for a sustainable energy supply. While floating turbines are more flexibly attached to the seabed with anchor lines, conventional turbines are firmly anchored to the seabed.

Dynamic cables for floating offshore installations
Cable system manufacturers such as Nexans have also long been focusing on wind power in the deep sea. “From 2031, floating wind turbines will account for more than 10% of annual offshore wind installations, a remarkable achievement given the rapid expansion of offshore wind energy as a whole,” the company explains. Cables, which are needed to transport the energy back to the shore, are “a crucial link for the future of floating wind power". This demands robust, dynamic high-voltage cables that can withstand the harsh conditions at sea: A dynamic cable moves in the water and on the seabed, following the rhythm of the floating wind turbine.

In 2021, Nexans achieved “an important breakthrough” with the qualification of the first dynamic 145 kV cable for water depths of 1,300 meters. This cable was selected for the Jansz-lo project, located about 200 kilometers off the coast of northwest Australia and considered a “pioneer in floating offshore wind projects,” according to Nexans. The company is responsible for manufacturing and installing the 140-kilometer submarine cable.

Offshore boom drives surge in orders
The offshore sector is booming: wind turbine manufacturers and suppliers, such as the cable industry, are receiving an increasing volume of orders. For example, Vattenfall: the company has signed a contract with Vestas for 112 latest-generation offshore wind turbines, each with a capacity of 15 MW. These turbines will be deployed in the Northern Lights 1 and 2 offshore wind projects in the German North Sea off the island of Borkum, jointly owned by Vattenfall and BASF. From 2028, they will be capable of producing electricity for the equivalent of 1.6 million households. According to Vattenfall, some of the tower elements will be made of low-emission steel, significantly reducing the CO2 footprint of the towers.

Nordex has also received an order from Canada to supply a wind farm developer and operator with 19 of its N163/5.X turbines for a project in the province of Quebec. The turbines, to be installed on 125-meter-high tubular steel towers are scheduled for delivery in the summer of 2026. The company has also secured orders from Canada for 74 of its N163 turbines for a total capacity of 500 MW, to be delivered between 2025 and 2026.

Resilient cables are essential
The surge in new projects also means a large number of orders for components from the cable industry. Cables are required for the operation of a wind turbine, for generating electricity and for transporting the electricity produced from the turbine to the consumer. Particularly important are power cables, which carry the generated electricity through the tower to connect it to the transmission grid – but the enameled wires used in the generators and transformers are also important. Resilient cables are used, as they are often subjected to constant movement and vibration, needing to withstand compression and torsion. In addition, they must also meet high standards for thermal load capacity, electrical insulation, halogen-free composition as well as resistance to UV radiation, ozone and salt water.

Eco-concept along the entire value chain
Steel plays a vital role in the energy transition: “It is an essential material in the construction of wind turbines,” emphasizes ArcelorMittal. To reduce the carbon footprint of large onshore and offshore projects, it is crucial that the steel is produced sustainably. “ArcelorMittal’s XCarb® products, such as XCarb®, enable significant reductions in CO₂ emissions. The steel is made from 100% recycled material (scrap) using renewable electricity. This contributes to the decarbonization of cable production, also for wind energy.

Niehoff is also contributing to decarbonization efforts, for example at Nexans. The companies are collaborating on the development, installation and operation of the next-generation wire breakdown system, which went into operation at the Nexans facility in Lens, France. “The plant enables optimized production speeds, which can provide significant savings of 35 kW/h per ton, reducing energy consumption and CO₂ emissions,” the companies explain in a joint announcement. These are key investments to make the entire value chain, including for wind power, both ecological and economical. 

Trends and highlights from the wire, cables, tubes and pipes sectors will be presented at the world's leading trade fairs wire and Tube from April 13 - 17, 2026 in Düsseldorf, Germany. www.wire-tradefair.com and www.tube-tradefair.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/wire-and-tube-leading-international-trade-fairs/