Offshore Wind Cables Deserve a Front Seat in Early Layout Optimization

February 21, 2024 Articles & PR | Product Update | Offshore 4 min read time

The Hidden Cost Driver in Offshore Wind Projects

In offshore wind development, inter-array and export cables represent one of the most frequent—and costly—sources of failure. Despite their outsized impact on long-term profitability, they are often overlooked in favor of higher CAPEX elements such as turbines and foundations.

With mean times to repair (MTTR) ranging from 50 to 60 days, and failure rates reaching 0.0007/km/year (TenneT), the financial consequences of unoptimized cable layouts can reach up to €100 million in lost revenue, particularly when outages coincide with high wind and electricity prices.

A Shift in Mindset: Optimizing Cables from Day One

Youwind’s new cable visualisation functionality—integrated into its layout generator and optimizer (formerly Pixel Park)—gives offshore wind developers the tools to simulate, assess, and refine cable networks at the earliest design stages.

With this update, users can:

Generate optimised inter-array and export cable routes
Simulate failure scenarios and related OPEX impacts
Build layout resilience by including redundant paths and meshed grid structures
Evaluate how design choices influence long-term bankability and LCOE calculation

This shift supports smarter, scenario-based wind farm layout decisions grounded in technical reliability and financial foresight.

Cables: Low CAPEX, High Risk

While cables typically account for a smaller share of upfront costs, their OPEX impact—especially during failures—can ripple through project budgets and investor confidence.

“Cables represent a lower CAPEX cost compared to turbines or foundations, but they can trigger enormous downstream losses if not properly designed,”
— Edvald Edvaldsson, CTO and Co-Founder, Youwind Renewables

That’s why Youwind’s cable tools consider key parameters such as:

Cable length and routing
Voltage class, cross-section, and material
Number of turbines per string
Redundancy interlinks and offshore substations

These variables feed directly into the platform’s bankable yield assessment engine—helping users understand the real-world risks and rewards of each configuration.

A Comprehensive Layout Ecosystem

Youwind’s platform allows users to model all key components—from turbines and foundations to substations and cabling—within one seamless wind farm planning tool.

Available for both floating and fixed-bottom installations, the new cable module supports:

Rapid design iteration
GIS constraint analysis incorporating bathymetry, environmental zones, and routing corridors
Collaborative workflows for engineers, analysts, and financial teams

By integrating failure simulation and cable loss visualisation into the early design process, Youwind enables developers to make data-driven decisions in wind energy that are robust, resilient, and ready for tomorrow’s interconnected offshore landscape.

Written by Pieter Gerbraad, Chief Engineer Officer

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