Prysmian's New Cable Cleans as It Connects

Prysmian's new offshore wind cable absorbs more CO₂ than its manufacture produces, with commercial rollout set for H2 2026

27 May 2026

Prysmian has developed a power cable that removes more carbon from the atmosphere than its manufacture releases, a first for the industry and a potentially significant development for Europe's growing offshore wind sector.

Announced on 24 March 2026, the cable achieves a net negative carbon footprint across sourcing and production. Two changes drive the result: a revised cable architecture that maintains full electrical and mechanical performance, and a material system built from bio-polymers, recycled inputs, and low-carbon compounds. Prysmian says up to one metric ton of CO₂ is absorbed per kilometre produced. The technology is patent-pending. Commercial availability through the company's Power Grid business is planned for the second half of 2026.

The cable is compatible with existing grid infrastructure, requiring no redesign from developers or grid operators.

Timing matters. Under EU green taxonomy rules and ESG-linked financing frameworks, project developers must account for the embedded carbon in major components. Grid cables are among the largest contributors to that figure in offshore wind projects. A cable that subtracts from the carbon ledger, rather than adding to it, could affect both supplier selection and financing eligibility across European concessions.

"We've done just that," said Cinzia Farisé, Prysmian's Executive Vice President for Power Grid and Electrification. "Offering our customers something no other cable company has ever done: a cable that can go beyond carbon neutrality and make a positive effect on climate."

Qualifications remain. The carbon assessment covers cradle-to-gate only, excluding installation, operational use, and end-of-life disposal. Those phases carry their own loads, particularly offshore, where cable-laying requires specialist vessels. No independent third-party certification of the negative-footprint claim has been publicly detailed.

The offshore wind cable market is forecast to reach USD 40 billion by 2035. Supply chain decarbonisation is increasingly a condition of that growth, not a bonus feature. Prysmian's claim, if verified, positions it early in a competition the whole sector must eventually enter.