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Electrical infrastructure

Incremental development in electrical equipment (switchgear, transformers and reactive power compensation equipment) is to be expected, driven by the wider electricity supply industry.  The offshore wind business will soon be the largest market for subsea cables and so some innovations there may be driven by the specific requirements of the sector, although cables are a relatively mature technology.  Voltage-source high voltage DC transmission is a relatively new commercial technology, and one that will find extensive application in offshore wind.

The major electrical impact of the offshore sector will be the re-shaping of the transmission network of the countries involved in order to serve these major new generating plants.  Also to be expected is an increase in the interconnection of countries to improve the firmness of national power systems, and which may also involve providing an international offshore transmission network dedicated to serving offshore wind projects.