Why HVDC Export Cables Are An Underappreciated Risk In Offshore Wind - CleanTechnica

The article highlights the often-overlooked risks associated with High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) export cables in offshore wind projects. While much attention is given to turbines and their components, the HVDC export system—critical for transmitting power over long distances—carries significant delivery and recovery risks that are not adequately appreciated. As offshore wind farms grow larger and farther from shore, HVDC technology becomes necessary due to its efficiency over long subsea distances compared to HVAC. However, despite its technical maturity, HVDC cables are vulnerable to faults that can cause substantial outages, removing large portions of a wind farm’s output in a single event. Key data from industry surveys and European experience indicate that subsea HVDC cable faults, though infrequent (about 0.07 to 0.10 faults per 100 km-years), have long repair times averaging around 60 days. Over the typical lifespan of a 150 km export cable (about 25 years), this translates into an expected 2 to