UK: Opportunities for Cable Suppliers in Offshore Wind Industry

In January 2012, Cable Consulting International (CCI) was engaged by The Crown Estate (TCE) to study the supply chain for offshore windfarm power export cables with particular emphasis on the requirements of the UK’s developers.

Now, The Crown Estate has issued a study highlighting the opportunities that exist for suppliers to address the current gap between anticipated demand and currently available supply of export power cables for offshore wind farms.

The study identified that current manufacturing capacity does not meet the needs of developers, both in UK and in the rest of the world, based on a range of offshore wind deployment rates. Currently demand outstrips supply for the significant global requirements for both export cables and interconnector cables, creating a serious supply chain gap. With global developers providing a strong offshore wind programme, there is an outstanding opportunity for new suppliers in the market, but there is a need for industry to improve demand forecasting and reduce lead times to increase supply capacity.

 Huub den Rooijen, Head of Offshore Wind, said: “Through this study we have identified a strong business opportunity for new suppliers in the global export cables market as well as improvements developers could make to support this essential part of the supply chain. It’s vital that there is a sufficient and strong supply chain, as without it the UK could be delayed on delivering its world leading offshore wind programme, creating jobs, inward investment and providing an alternative, secure energy supply.”

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Offshore WIND staff, July 27, 2012; Image: thecrownestate