Bringing clean energy to shore
Materializing ambitions
At Teijin Aramid, we are dedicated to empowering our partners in the offshore energy industry to drive the transition to renewable energy. As market leaders in para-aramids, we collaborate closely with our partners to set new standards for high performance and reliability. Interconnectors — high-voltage cables that connect different electricity systems — are essential to this transition, enabling the efficient transfer of renewable energy over long distances.
Our strength lies not just in our advanced materials but in our people. With unparalleled experience and expertise, our team is deeply committed to applying aramid technology in new and impactful ways. Their motivation is to deliver the best possible solutions, ensuring that your projects are not just successful, but transformative.
Interconnectors: infrastructure for sustainable energy
Interconnectors play a crucial role in making renewable energy accessible to everyone, no matter where they live. By enabling the reliable transfer of power over long distances, these vital links ensure that clean energy from wind and solar farms can reach homes and businesses far from where it was generated. This means that even if you’re miles away from the nearest renewable energy source, you can still benefit from a stable, sustainable power supply.
Interconnectors help reduce energy loss during transmission, making an energy system more efficient and resilient. They are key to building a future where everyone can enjoy the benefits of renewable energy, contributing to a cleaner, more sustainable planet for all.
The challenges and opportunities in submarine power cable installation and maintenance
Submarine power cables are often installed in deep water for two main reasons. First, deep-water routes usually offer the shortest path between two points, like islands and the mainland. More importantly, installing cables at depths greater than 1000 meters significantly reduces the risk of damage and avoids interference with shipping lanes, commercial fishing, and deep-sea mining. By placing cables at these depths, it is ensured they remain safe and undisturbed, minimizing any impact on other marine activities.
Additionally, governments and regulatory bodies are introducing new rules to better balance energy production with protecting the environment. These regulations are designed to make sure that energy projects don’t damage the marine environment.
The limitations of steel in deep water
Installing submarine power cables at depths beyond 1000m presents significant challenges, especially with traditional armoring materials like steel. One of the core challenges is addressing cable linear weight, since armoring can make up to 50% of the overall cable weight.
Elongation
The heavy weight of steel can cause elongation, stretching, and deformation during deployment and retrieval, particularly at depths beyond 1000m. This can hinder the performance and durability of submarine power cables.
Handling
Steel’s inherent strength and stiffness come with a trade-off – its substantial weight makes it difficult to maneuver and handle during installation. This can complicate the laying and maintenance processes.
Transportation
The heavy weight of steel cables leads to increased logistical difficulties, including higher transportation costs due to the potential need for more frequent trips to transport shorter cable lengths.
Twaron® armored submarine power cables
Twaron®, our flagship product, has the potential to transform submarine power cable armoring for offshore energy projects in deep water. Trusted for years in onshore mooring, cabling, and hoisting, Twaron® excels in saltwater environments, extreme conditions, and under large stress loads.
Twaron® is an ideal choice for aramid-reinforced submarine power cables because of its unique properties.
Twaron® is an ideal choice for aramid-reinforced submarine power cables because of its unique properties.
Reliable performance
Molecular stability minimizes creep, ensuring prolonged cable integrity.
Lightweight strength
Up to six times stronger than steel, enabling longer cables and reduced cable weight in water.
Superior stiffness
Ensuring optimal underwater stability with superior dynamic stiffness.
Sustainable choice
Cuts material use and energy, lowering emissions for greener installations.
Greater strength and efficiency
Twaron® is up to six times stronger than steel, making it ideal for manufacturing longer cables. Its lightweight nature reduces strain on deployment and retrieval equipment, and lowers transportation and handling costs, especially for remote offshore project locations. These qualities make Twaron® an excellent choice for reinforcing submarine power cables.
Superior stiffness for long-lasting reliability
Twaron® offers high stiffness, relieving strain from the conductor during installation and ensuring the cables remain reliable throughout their lifespan. Twaron® is also offered in an ultrahigh modulus (UHM) variant, which significantly enhances the performance of the cable overall.
The following **graphs illustrate the expected differences in tensile armor weight between steel and Twaron® at increasing depths, highlighting the operational efficiency of aramid fibers in submarine power cables.
**Graph adapted from 525kV HVDC Interconnector Cable case study conducted on behalf of a partner for Teijin Aramid. (C57546: BOM Study of Aramid vs. Steel Armouring).
Reduced creep and enhanced submarine power cable performance
Due to its molecular structure, Twaron® is significantly less susceptible to creep compared to other synthetic materials. During cable laying or repair operations, cables are exposed to high forces for extended periods. It is crucial that the armor layer has low creep to protect the cable’s internal infrastructure from these forces. When properly armored, Twaron® can withstand these high forces, ensuring long-term integrity and operational reliability.
Lower carbon footprint and increased operational efficiency
Incorporating Twaron® into interconnectors reduces overall material usage because less material is required to achieve performance levels comparable to steel. Its lighter weight allows vessels to transport and lay more meters of cable at a time, positively impacting the project bottom line by reducing resource use of fuel, operations, and project timing. This makes Twaron® a sustainable choice for aramid-reinforced submarine power cables, contributing to a lower carbon footprint.
Sustainable end-of-life solutions
As part of our commitment to sustainability, we understand the importance of planning for the eventual disposal of submarine power cables. Increasingly, there are demands for companies to have a comprehensive plan for the lifetime maintenance and removal of cables even before installation. Twaron® is a recyclable material, allowing us to remove it from products at end-of-life and recycle it for further use in other applications.
“We believe our aramid fibers still hold significant value even after their initial use. By connecting with us, we can discuss customized end-of-life solutions for the post-use recycling of Twaron®. Together, we can ensure these materials continue to deliver value in new and innovative ways. “
Rob van Gerwen , Global Marketing Manager
Our expertise in aramid-reinforcement
With decades of experience as a trusted supplier across numerous industries, we handle projects with professionalism and discretion. As market leaders in para-aramids, we collaborate closely with you to set new standards for high performance and reliability. Our team, with its unparalleled expertise in aramid technology, is committed to delivering tailored solutions that meet your unique needs and ensure the success of your projects.
Technical account support
Our technical account managers at our regional offices can provide personalized advice on the best aramid solutions for your needs. They collaborate closely with the diverse services of our Research and Innovation Center in Arnhem to:
• Advise on optimal aramid product selection and application • Discuss customized solutions to meet unique requirements • Troubleshoot technical challenges in product implementation and performance • Provide testing services for partners and clients involved
Approver enabling process
We don’t stop at just checking the basic properties of our materials. We systematically test how our aramid applications perform under challenging conditions like extreme temperatures, humidity, UV light, and seawater immersion. This thorough testing is crucial for a market that relies on the durability of our materials. Even when conditions change, you can count on our aramid solutions to deliver consistent performance. We’re the only major aramid producer that takes testing this seriously, ensuring our solutions are ideal for the long-term durability needed in submarine power cables.
Certification process support
Once an aramid solution is defined, we partner with you to achieve the necessary qualification and certification standards for new aramid applications. This process is supported by our extensive knowledge on secondary properties, ensuring your submarine power cable solutions meet all industry requirements and enhance operational efficiency.
Quality Guardianship
Our R&D team safeguards our quality standards, meticulously scrutinizing our products and processes. They design and set quality standards, which are then implemented by our quality testing teams at production sites to ensure that the products meet the precise specifications required by our customers.
Get in touch
At Teijin Aramid, we bring half a century of expertise in applying aramids to enhance a wide range of projects, including submarine power cables. Our R&D team, local technicians, and global market managers are equipped with the diverse skill sets needed to support you in meeting the unique challenges of the offshore energy sector.
Your ambition, our technology.
