World’s Deepest Cable Burial Powers Offshore Wind Future

Jan De Nul Group’s Moonfish trencher achieved the world’s deepest cable burial at 18 feet beneath the seabed off the Netherlands, protecting high-voltage cables for the TenneT GridLink project. This innovation supports Europe’s offshore wind expansion, ensuring reliable energy transmission and advancing net-zero goals.

The Moonfish trencher, developed by Jan De Nul Group, set a record by burying high-voltage cables 18 feet (5.5 meters) beneath the seabed for the TenneT GridLink project, connecting 2 GW offshore wind farms to the Dutch grid. Launched in August 2024, the 160-tonne, 13-meter-long trencher uses high-pressure water jets to cut trenches in sandy soils, guided remotely from the Willem de Vlamingh vessel. This depth protects cables from anchors, fishing gear, and erosion, ensuring long-term reliability.

The GridLink project, part of TenneT’s 40 GW offshore wind plan by 2030, supports Europe’s 300 GW offshore wind target by 2050. Buried cables transmit 95% of Europe’s offshore wind energy, with 60,000 km installed by 2023. Deep burial mitigates risks from heavy maritime traffic, reducing outages that cost €500 million annually. The Moonfish’s design, with 1 MW water pumps and 200-tonne bollard pull, enables precise trenching in currents up to 3.5 knots, enhancing efficiency.

India’s offshore wind potential, estimated at 70 GW, could benefit from similar technologies. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s 4 GW tender for Gujarat and Tamil Nadu in 2025 faces challenges like high installation costs and seabed variability. Deep burial could protect cables in India’s busy coastal waters, supporting the 30 GW offshore wind target by 2030. However, India lacks advanced trenchers, relying on imports, which raises costs by 20%.

Challenges for the Moonfish include high energy consumption and maintenance in harsh marine environments. Sand migration risks re-exposing cables, requiring periodic surveys costing €5 million per project. The trencher’s €50 million price limits adoption to large-scale projects. Innovations like AI-based seabed mapping, used in GridLink, could reduce costs by 15% and improve precision, offering lessons for India’s nascent offshore wind sector.

Conclusion

The Moonfish trencher’s 18-foot cable burial record enhances offshore wind reliability, supporting Europe’s clean energy goals. India could adopt similar technologies to scale its offshore wind sector, but cost and infrastructure barriers require strategic investments.

Source: Sustainability Times