NKT Uses Low-Carbon Copper For High-Voltage DC Cables
Cable manufacturer NKT, its suppliers, and customers have agreed to use low-carbon copper for a 320 kV HVDC cable that NKT is supplying to Dogger Bank C in the North Sea, which is being developed by SSE Renewables, Equinor, and Eni Plenitude.
The use of low-carbon copper will reduce the carbon footprint of the high-voltage power cable system by more than 23,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, which is equivalent to the emissions of 7,700 average household cars in one year.
This groundbreaking collaboration with our customers and suppliers allows us to produce more sustainable cables using low-carbon copper,” said Claes Westerlind, executive vice president and head of high-voltage solutions at NKT. I am delighted that we have established this collaboration and can continue to contribute to connecting a greener world. This will ultimately help us meet our sustainability commitments, including becoming a net-zero emissions company.”
Why Use Low-Carbon Copper?
Low-carbon copper cathodes come from the Boliden Aitik mine in northern Sweden. The mine and smelter vehicles are powered by fossil-free electricity, and the copper cathodes are transported domestically by electric train from the mine to Elcowire in Helsingborg, which produces low-carbon copper wire in an efficient process.
Using low-carbon copper will significantly reduce the carbon footprint of NKT’s power cable, as it is less than half that of standard copper. a third party has verified the reduction. The high-voltage submarine cable is manufactured at NKT’s plant in Karlskrona, Sweden, which uses 100% renewable electricity. The installation of the Dogger Bank C cable system in the North Sea will be done by NKT Victoria, one of the most advanced and fuel-efficient cable-laying vessels in the world.
When fully operational, the Dogger Bank wind farm will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm, capable of providing green electricity equivalent to the electricity used by six million UK households.
Simon Bailey, commercial director of SSE Renewables’ Dogger Bank Wind Farm, said: “Together with our partners Equinor and Eni Plenitude, we have been looking at ways to minimize carbon emissions throughout the construction process. It’s great that our HVDC export cable supplier, NKT, will be using low-carbon copper, which will significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the Dogger Bank construction project. The HVDC cable is a key component as it connects the electricity generated by the wind farm to the national grid.”
NKT has been a key partner in Europe’s transition to renewable energy for many years, particularly in the areas of offshore wind and interconnectors, and will continue to strengthen its sustainability efforts – including as the first major power cable manufacturer and a founding member of the Electricity Net Zero Agreement” with other energy industry companies, and working on the “Science-Based Goals” initiative.