Floating Wind Finds Its Footing as Cables Get Smarter

Advances in dynamic cables are reducing long-term risk and boosting confidence in floating wind projects

2 Feb 2026

Europe’s floating offshore wind industry is finally leaving the laboratory. As projects push into deeper water, attention is turning to an unglamorous but decisive component, the cables that tether turbines to the grid.

Fixed offshore wind rests on static cables laid neatly on the seabed. Floating turbines do not enjoy that luxury. They pitch and sway, pulled by waves and currents, forcing their power cables to bend constantly. For years these dynamic cables have been a source of unease. They are hard to inspect, costly to repair and, if they fail, capable of halting generation for months.

That risk is starting to look more manageable. At Provence Grand Large, a floating wind project off southern France, Prysmian deployed pre-terminated dynamic cables that were assembled and tested onshore before installation. The change was modest in appearance but meaningful in practice. Offshore connection was quicker. Intervention, if needed, became simpler. The project hinted at a future in which floating wind farms are designed to be operated and maintained over decades, not merely proven at launch.

The benefits extend beyond construction. Onshore preparation reduces uncertainty during installation and shortens offshore campaigns, where vessels are scarce and weather windows narrow. Designs that allow faster disconnection give operators more options when faults arise. Less downtime and lower repair costs improve reliability and, crucially, make revenue streams more predictable.

This matters because the financial climate has hardened. Europe is racing to expand offshore wind to meet climate targets, but higher interest rates and rising costs have made investors cautious. Lenders now scrutinise operational risks more closely, even as hard data on floating wind performance remain thin. Dynamic cable design is increasingly part of that assessment.

Industry-wide efforts are helping. Joint projects bringing together developers, suppliers and certifiers such as DNV are refining standards and testing regimes for floating cables. Fewer offshore interventions also mean fewer vessel movements, trimming emissions alongside costs.

Suppliers including Nexans are adapting experience from fixed offshore wind to meet floating demand. More advanced designs often cost more upfront. Yet developers appear readier to pay for solutions that lower lifetime risk.

Floating offshore wind is entering execution mode. As cable technology matures, one of the sector’s most persistent uncertainties is easing. That may prove as important for its prospects as the turbines rising above the waves.