The windswept North Sea is powering a new renewable energy economy in Europe. The European Commission and several North Sea countries have pledged to install 300 GW of offshore wind power there by 2050. This is comparable to the amount of energy required to supply electricity to nearly 200 million European households.
One of the pioneering projects that will help reach this ambitious target is the DolWin6. This 320 kV DC link connects an offshore platform that collects power from several offshore wind farms to the mainland. Two parallel cables, each 90 km long (with 45 km of submarine and 45 km of land cables), stretch from the DolWin Kappa offshore converter station to an onshore HVDC converter and transformer station in Emden, Germany. Grid operator TenneT, general contractor of the project, sought an advanced HVDC solution that would enable the transmission of up to 900 MW of wind power from offshore to land in a reliable and efficient way, and with only minimal losses.
In July 2017, TenneT awarded the project to leading cable manufacturer and long-standing Borealis partner, Nexans, which subsequently selected Borealis Borlink™ LS4258DC (as XLPE insulation) and LE0550DC (as inner and outer semicon) for the manufacture of the DC transmission cables.
As the newest grade of the step-changing Borlink™ extruded HVDC technology launched in 2014, Borlink™ LS4258DC was developed to enable even higher power transfer capacity. Its superior performance characteristics include:
In addition to these outstanding performance parameters, Nexans selected Borealis on the basis of our excellent track record in technical service and customer support for major energy and infrastructure projects.
The DolWin6 is our first major success story in DC extruded cable. We are proud to have collaborated with our long-term partner Borealis by combining their leading-edge technological expertise with our manufacturing know-how and cable system expertise in order to push the envelope in HVDC.
Bjorn Sanden, Chief Officer Technology – Generation & Transmission Business Group, Nexans
While predecessor Borlink™ grades have been employed in many large-scale infrastructure projects in recent years, DolWin6 was the first commercial application of Borlink™ LS4258DC in Europe. With the successful commissioning of the project in September 2023, Borlink™ LS4258DC has proven itself as a grade suitable for the largest-scale industrial projects in green energy.
Cable manufacturers and project operators can count on Borealis to supply ample volumes of high-quality and innovative HVDC compounds, accompanied by expert technical support.
As the pace of wind power installation infrastructure projects picks up speed, we are pleased to have cemented our reputation as a reliable supplier of high-end DC compounds to the cable industry. Ensuring the success of major projects like the DolWin6 is our contribution to accelerating electrification on a global scale in order to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.
Bart Verheule, Global Marketing Director Energy, Borealis
Borealis solutions bring energy all around
Borealis has been a trusted partner to the energy industry for over 60 years, delivering innovative polyolefin solutions that help power our lives. Our portfolio includes high-performance compounds for wire and cables applications ranging from underwater power projects to transmission and distribution networks, communications, and advanced energy storage systems and capacitors.
With operations and joint ventures in the US (Baystar™ and Rockport), South Korea (DYM Solutions) and the UAE (Borouge), our reach extends well beyond Europe. This global presence widens our expertise and extends the impact of our work.
Our purpose is to reinvent essentials for sustainable living. As part of this commitment, we’re helping to accelerate electrification and the green energy transition through our proprietary technologies and advanced material solutions. These include technology platform Borlink™, sustainable engineering polymer class Stelora™, solar brand Quentys™, and Borclean™ capacitor film resins.
Meanwhile, our Borcycle™ M, Borcycle™ C and Bornewables™ portfolios are meeting demand for sustainable solutions that don’t compromise on quality. Independently certified by ISCC PLUS, these high-performance compounds are the tangible result of our EverMinds™ initiative to drive progress in the transition to a circular economy.
Borclean™, Borcycle™, Borlink™, Bornewables™, EverMinds™, Quentys™ and Stelora™ are trademarks of Borealis AG.