The grid revolution: Superconductors powering a safe, efficient energy transition

As demand from electric vehicles, hydrogen production, and heating and cooling systems accelerates, grids face unprecedented pressure. However, much of today’s cable network—particularly in Western Europe, North America, and Japan—is already decades old, never designed for the loads we are seeing today.

Take, for example, a distribution system operator in New York with a cable network that’s over 50 years old and operating near capacity. Adding new loads from EVs and heat pumps not only accelerates the aging of existing cables but also limits the ability to connect new renewable generation due to thermal and voltage constraints. Replacing or upgrading these cables using conventional high-voltage solutions requires extensive excavation in urban areas, where underground space is already crowded with telecommunications, water, gas, and transport infrastructure.

Even when installation is technically possible, environmental restrictions, lane rental charges, and traffic management fees can increase project costs by hundreds of thousands of dollars. Land acquisition for wider cable routes compounds the challenge, particularly when existing rights-of-way cannot accommodate the spacing needed for conventional cables, which require significant separation to manage heating effects and electromagnetic interference.

Meanwhile, safety and reliability requirements keep rising. Networks must deliver electricity without cuts, breakdowns, cascading failures, or blackouts. They need to handle fault currents that can damage critical assets like transformers and switchgear. And as public expectations grow, networks must minimize electromagnetic interference, reduce CO₂ emissions, recycle obsolete assets responsibly, and reassure communities about safety.

This scenario is playing out in major cities worldwide, while rural areas face their own infrastructure constraints. Meeting electrification needs at scale will require massive infrastructure upgrades: grids will need roughly 80 million kilometers of new or refurbished cable by 2040 – and conventional systems alone cannot keep up with demand.

High-Temperature Superconducting (HTS) cables and fault current limiters represent a fundamentally different approach to power transmission. The technology exploits the complete loss of electrical resistance that occurs in certain materials at extremely low temperatures, known as one of the key properties of superconductivity.

HTS materials require cooling to approximately -200°C, typically with liquid nitrogen. “High temperature” here means relative to the first generation of superconductors, which requires temperatures below -243°C to operate. The liquid nitrogen circulates in cryogenic envelopes, a thermally-insulated jacket that surrounds the cable. Liquid nitrogen is relatively inexpensive, environmentally harmless, and easier to manage than many industrial coolants. More importantly, the energy saved by eliminating transmission losses exceeds the energy required to maintain the cryogenic environment.

The electricity flowing through your home right now has traveled hundreds of miles of conventional resistive cables, losing roughly 10% of its power along the way. That waste, about 180 TWh annually in Europe alone, is enough to power three major cities. HTS cables requires 10 times less energy to supply electricity.

Why choose superconducting cables?

For modern grids, HTS systems offer huge advantages over conventional alternatives, especially in dense urban environments:

• Space efficiency and economics: HTS cables generate no heat or electromagnetic fields at any load along the cable route, so phases need no separation. Cables can be buried at any depth and close to other multi-energy network without expensive tunneling or specialized conduits, shrinking rights-of-way to up to one-tenth the width of conventional systems. In cities where land costs tens of thousands per meter, this benefit alone is game-changing.
• Enormous transmission capacity: One HTS cable can handle over 3 gigawatts. Fewer circuits and minimal substation upgrades are needed, while retrofits can multiply tunnel capacity without major construction with minimal electrical loss if not zero in Direct Current.
• Smaller environmental footprint: Less excavation and reduced permitting complexity can result in shorter project timelines and less public opposition.
• Resilience: Fully shielded, superconducting cables are weatherproof, highly secure, and nearly free of stray electromagnetic fields – meaning power availability is protected even if part of the grid is disrupted.

It’s a win-win(-win-win).

• Any source, anywhere: HTS cables handle rooftop solar, fuel cells, remote wind parks.
• Automatic protection: SFCLs limit fault currents instantly, no active controls needed.
• Smart, resilient grids: SFCLs allow the increase of supply and demand, improving reliability and supporting integration of distributed or remote generation.
• Electrification ready: Scales EV charging and industrial loads without massive new builds.

Ready for a superconducting grid revolution?

Infrastructure demands, technological maturity, and a strong business case are aligning to support widespread HTS adoption. Companies like Nexans, with facilities across Germany, France, and Norway, have developed cutting-edge expertise across the entire superconducting technology stack and are contributing to international standards that will accelerate global rollout.

The question isn’t whether superconducting technology will transform electrical grids, but how quickly utilities, governments, and investors will recognize the opportunity. Grid operators who move early will gain significant competitive advantages in efficiency, reliability, and capacity. Those who wait may find themselves constrained by the very infrastructure limitations that superconducting technology is designed to solve.

Grid technicians are on the front lines of the energy transition. Yet many of the products they work with are not designed with their realities in mind. Poor ergonomics, unintuitive interfaces, and complex installation sequences increase fatigue, raise error rates, and drive costly reworks. In fact, up to 75% of network outages are due to problems with the installation of accessories.

Designing from the installer’s perspective turns product development into a strategic enabler of grid performance. Human-centric design prioritizes intuitive use, real-world behavior, and ​​the physical experience of the technician, not just the engineering specification.

This begins with field observation: understanding how technicians move, use tools, and manage physical strain. By identifying pain points in cable and accessory installation, designers can reduce unnecessary complexity and optimize for real-life conditions.

Practical examples:

• A redesigned MV joint that cuts installation steps from 65 to just 17, dramatically reducing the potential for error.
• An ergonomic, modular joint system that simplifies handling and minimizes physical strain.

These changes, grounded in installer feedback and ergonomic testing, lead to safer, faster, and more consistent installations.

Human-centric thinking also extends to packaging and logistics. Intuitive solutions like retractable handles, wheeled reels, and universal spools improve transportation and handling. These “low-tech” innovations play a high-impact role in reinforcing a more resilient, human-centered grid, while also supporting sustainability.

Here are just a few ways AR is transforming installation and maintenance in the field:

At the core of these innovations is a shared goal: empowering the workforce behind electrification.

Achieving clean energy targets won’t be solved by infrastructure alone. It requires investing in people, giving them the tools, training, and support they need to succeed in the field.

That’s why the shift to intuitive design and smart digital tools is no longer optional. It is foundational. The future of grid reliability will be shaped not by what we install but by how and by whom it is installed.

The future of electrification won’t be wired by machines alone. It will be built by skilled hands empowered with smarter tools.

Nexans is leading this evolution by embedding human-centric thinking and transformative technologies across its entire portfolio. From ergonomic joints to AI-enabled QA platforms, Nexans is helping utilities equip their workforce to work faster, safer, and with greater confidence.

While attention is often focused on cables and transformers, the most overlooked and failure-prone elements of electrical grids are the accessories that silently connect everything.

More than 70% of distribution grid failures occur at junctions; but most utilities still rely on inspections with limited visibility.

These hidden critical links are often buried beneath city streets and deep under the ocean floors, silently carrying power. When they fail, the consequences include costly repairs, extended downtime, and widespread service disruptions. Preventing this costly domino effect is a top priority for grid operators today.

So, why do these critical connection points fail in the first place, and more importantly, how can they be avoided?

Accessories: the hidden cause behind grid failure

It is often mistakenly assumed that electrical grid failures are due to faulty cables and transformers. But in reality, it is the accessories (cable connectors, joints, and terminations) that account for a disproportionate share of failures.

These components degrade over time due to thermal fatigue, mechanical stress, vibrations, moisture ingress, and, in many cases, improper installation practices such as misalignment or over torque. Pinpointing the location of a failure is notoriously difficult. Limited visibility and lack of diagnostic data make troubleshooting time-consuming and costly.

As an example, an MV cable connector failure can cost, on average, between €10,000 and €50,000 to repair.

These failure mechanisms underscore why accessories, despite their compact size, harbor a disproportionate share of the operational risk within medium-voltage grids. Yet their role extends well beyond reliability concerns alone, serving as critical enablers of performance, safety, and future-ready grid modernization.

Much like the telecommunications industry before it, the energy sector must now evolve toward real-time visibility, predictive fault detection, and continuous diagnostic intelligence to meet the demands of a modernized grid.

Smart Accessories: From Hidden Weak Links to Strategic Grid Resilience Enablers

To address these vulnerabilities and modernize grid maintenance strategies, accessories are now being elevated into intelligent assets.

Despite their modest size, accessories like joints and connectors are often the weakest links in grid infrastructure. Their vulnerability is compounded by harsh environmental exposure; yet, until recently, they have been treated as passive components.

That’s now changing. As utilities grapple with aging infrastructure and the rising cost of outages, accessories are being redefined as intelligent and predictive assets. Equipped with embedded sensors and connected into digital monitoring platforms, today’s smart accessories enable early fault detection and real-time performance insights, allowing operators to shift from reactive maintenance to proactive grid management.

Utilities adopting these technologies have already reported notable reductions in outage durations, emergency interventions, and overall operational expenditures.

The Technology Powering Smart Accessories

Transforming accessories from passive components into intelligent assets requires a new generation of technologies. These innovations empower operators with real-time visibility capabilities, allowing them to anticipate failures before they occur, rather than respond after the fact.

To meet these evolving expectations, manufacturers are now delivering advanced accessory systems featuring:

• Smart joints, terminations, and connectors equipped with embedded sensors for voltage, temperature, and partial discharge (PD) monitoring
• Predictive dashboards that combine historical data with live grid inputs to flag emerging risks
• Seamless integration with digital twins, mobile diagnostics tools, and SCADA platforms for comprehensive grid visibility.

Together, these technologies are shifting maintenance strategies from reactive interventions to proactive, data-driven grid optimization, enabling faster diagnostics, more accurate root-cause analysis, and fewer unexpected outages.

But what makes these smart accessories possible? At the heart of this transformation are three enabling technologies, powering the shift from passive parts to intelligent, self-monitoring systems:

Real-world impact: how utilities leverage smart accessories

Utilities that embed smart accessories within predictive diagnostics and installation traceability frameworks are achieving tangible performance gains:

• A Nordic operator reduced fault localization times from 48 hours to under six hours, sharply reducing costly emergency interventions and, consequently, OPEX.
• National Grid in the UK deploys partial discharge and thermal sensors in medium- and high-voltage cable systems to reduce unplanned outages and maintain lower SAIDI (National Grid Innovation Report, 2022).
• Alliander (Netherlands) is deploying more than 3,000 Smart Cable Guard systems (recently partnering with Nexans) across its medium-voltage grid to tackle aging infrastructure and outage risk. Field data shows that each unit prevents over 6,000 customer minutes lost annually, with fault localization accurate within 1% of cable length. Following strong results from initial pilots, the rollout supports Alliander’s broader effort to lower SAIFI and SAIDI across a 40,000 km MV network.

 A Strategic Shift in Grid Management

The evolution of accessories from passive components to intelligent assets is reshaping how utilities manage and future-proof their grids. Smart accessories now play a strategic role in boosting reliability, extending component lifespan, and reducing operation costs.

As utilities confront the twin pressures of aging infrastructure and accelerating electrification, these solutions are becoming essential to predictive maintenance and resilient network operation. This marks a broader transformation, from static systems to intelligent, self-monitoring grids.

Nexans is helping lead this industry shift, providing advanced smart accessory systems and end-to-end lifecycle support that enable grid operators to anticipate, monitor, and optimize their networks with unprecedented precision and confidence.

Customer experience starts with skills

In many sectors, performance depends as much on human precision as on technological advancement:

• In aviation, simulation-based training helps crews stay prepared for complex scenarios
• In advanced manufacturing, augmented reality tools guide workers through critical procedures
• In financial services, AI-based coaching improves the quality of client interactions

These approaches reflect a shared belief that strong customer experience comes not only from great products, but from the ability of people to apply them correctly, consistently, and along the whole value chain, from the start to the end. Up-skilling is even more relevant in the energy sector.

The electrification challenge: complexity and consequence

As the global push for decarbonization accelerates, electrification has become the backbone of energy systems. Power networks today must integrate renewable energies and always more decentralized generation, leading to bi-directional flows and intermittent production. In the meantime, electrification and new customer needs are growing (electrical vehicules, heat pumps, AI development and related construction of datacenters, electro intensive industries…).

Grids must therefore be modernized and become Smarter. They also have to become more resilient against extreme weather events. Their vulnerability against human errors during installation has become more critical than ever.

According to ENTSO-E, more than 60 percent of Europe’s grid components are over 40 years old. In this context, the margin for error is shrinking. A single installation mistake can affect reliability, safety, and customer satisfaction, leading to delays, warranty claims, and long-term service costs.

The numbers speak for themselves:

• 400 million euros are lost each year in Europe due to improper installation of cable accessories
• Up to 50% of medium-voltage (MV) cable accessory failures are caused by installation errors
• In the Netherlands, 12.5% of total SAIDI (System Average Interruption Duration Index) minutes are attributed to these issues
  (Source: EA Technology, Jicable 2023 E1-4; Review of Medium-Voltage Asset Failure Investigations, 2018)

These are not design flaws. They are execution problems. And they are preventable.

Training also closes the gap between system design and field reality. In today’s energy infrastructure, it serves three purposes: it transfers critical technical knowledge and workmanship, strengthens accuracy and speed on the ground, and supports a culture of accountability and excellence.

Measurable impact in the field

In recent assessments, teams that completed structured and certifying training programs showed:

• A 58% reduction in Medium Voltage cable accessories failure rates
• A 25% improvement in installation speed
• A customer satisfaction rate of 97%
  (Source: Nexans Internal Impact Study, 2024)

These improvements are not theoretical. They directly affect grid resilience, budget predictability, customer satisfaction and trust.

Training for modernizing and expanding grids

As grids become more complex, training must adapt. This includes at Nexans:

• Hands-on installation practice
• Certification based on practical performance, not just theory
• Partial discharge and AC withstand testing of i samples assembled during training
• Language flexibility and local adaptations
• Programs covering low, medium, and high-voltage applications, including renewables

Training today is not a static classroom experience. It is technical, tailored, and aligned with operational goals. In most cases, it also provides certification that is now increasingly necessary to operate and secure installations in compliance with industry standards.

The example of Nexans Certifying Training Services

In response to growing demand for skilled installation and maintenance teams and to a lack of certified technicians in most countries, Nexans has structured a comprehensive global training program. Delivered worldwide through eight centers located mainly in Africa, Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Europe including France and DOM-TOM, and supported by a dedicated team of 25 trainers and experts all over the world (including the US and Latin Americas), the program is designed to reflect the diversity and complexity of real-world electrification projects.

In 2024 only, over 2,800 professionals took part in training sessions offered in seven languages and tailored to more than 15 voltage levels and accessory types. The curriculum spans low-, medium-, and high-voltage systems, as well as renewable applications, with flexible, on-demand modules to support different phases of a project.

Each session combines technical theory with hands-on practice. For the most demanding applications, installed samples are tested under real conditions using partial discharge and AC withstand protocols, and certification is awarded based on demonstrated results, not just attendance (in France, the certification process is COFRAC accredited).

The success of electrification worldwide depends not only on smart systems, but on the right-skilled people who install and operate them. Training gives those people the skills and confidence they need to deliver reliability, safety and consistency to the grid networks.

Companies that invest in training are doing more than reducing technical risk. They are building trust, reinforcing performance, and redefining what great customer experience looks like. In the race toward a sustainable energy future, human expertise is what brings every connection to life.

As an innovation-driven leader in the electrification sector, Nexans continues to pioneer advanced training and supervision solutions that help build the grids of tomorrow.

Imagine a vast network of invisible or suspended arteries – made of copper, aluminum, and innovation. A network so essential it silently powers our cities, our industries, and our lives.

For decades, these infrastructures have kept pace with urbanization, economic growth, and the transformation of our lifestyles.

And yet, built for a more centralized and predictable world, they must now rise to an unprecedented challenge: adapting to a future that is more electric, more renewable, and more resilient.

How can we modernize these networks – the vital veins of a changing society? What if the answer wasn’t to rebuild everything from scratch, but to better harness what we already have?

Why Existing Grids Must Be Upgraded

Our power grids are silent witnesses to urbanization, economic expansion, and major shifts in how we live. But they were designed for a very different world: one that was centralized, less electrified, and far more predictable.

Today, these infrastructures must meet entirely new demands. They need to absorb the surge in renewable energy, support the rise of electric mobility, adapt to growing self-consumption, and respond to increasing needs for energy flexibility. They also need to become more resilient in the face of increasingly frequent extreme weather events.

Did you know?

• The average age of power grids in Europe and North America often exceeds 40 years.
• The duration of outages caused by these events has increased sixfold over the past ten years.
• The International Energy Agency estimates that the investments required to modernize power grids will reach $600 billion per year by 2030 (source: IEA report “Electricity Grids and Secure Energy Transitions” (october 2023).

Modernizing Without Rebuilding: A Winning Strategy

In this context, should we tear everything down to rebuild it better? Not necessarily. The solution often lies in a leaner, faster, and more sustainable approach: strengthening, optimizing, and adapting what already exists.

This strategy offers many benefits. It shortens implementation times, limits disruptions for local communities, allows better cost control, and reduces the carbon footprint of projects.

How can we modernize efficiently?

Through several technical levers:

• Reinforcing critical cables;
• Integrating smart sensors to detect weaknesses before they cause failures;
• Reconfiguring energy flows to avoid saturation;
• Using recycled or low-carbon materials, such as technical polymers or recovered metals.

Here’s a concrete example: In Europe, several pilot projects have modernized aging sections of the grid without dismantling them:

• Adding connected equipment,
• Predictive maintenance,
• Optimizing existing infrastructure.

The result: more efficient, more resilient networks – without rebuilding from scratch.

Turning Existing Grids Into a Circular Asset

What if our old networks became a resource for the future? Modernizing also means learning how to repurpose what already exists. Copper and aluminum cables can be recovered and reused after treatment, materials reinjected into new projects, and smart control modules installed to extend infrastructure lifespan.

A circular logic that gives grids a second life and supports more responsible electrification.

Key facts to remember:

• 15% of global demand for copper and aluminum may not be met by 2030.
• Material circularity is becoming a priority to reduce the need for new resource extraction.

By giving grids a second life, we help preserve natural resources and reduce the environmental footprint of new infrastructure.

This approach was at the heart of the discussion at ChangeNOW 2025, during a dedicated conference, “Circular Economy – Today’s Waste is Tomorrow’s Growth”, featuring David Grall, VP Sustainability & Corporate Transformation at Nexans, and Xavier Mathieu, VP Metallurgy at Nexans.

They presented concrete solutions to:

• Reduce environmental impact throughout the material lifecycle;
• Fully integrate the circular economy into energy infrastructure.

Doing Better With What We Have

Optimizing without overconsuming. Transforming without rebuilding everything.

That’s the ambition behind a successful energy transition: making our grids more robust, adaptable, and efficient.

In a world where 80% of energy will come from renewable sources by 2050, upgrading our existing infrastructure is a strategic imperative.

This isn’t about giving up on innovation – it’s about applying it where it matters most. It’s about acting now to build a more sustainable future.

In a nutshell

Modernizing our grids means strengthening energy resilience,

Reducing our environmental impact,

And accelerating the transition to an electrified world… without starting from scratch.

Sources:
McKinsey, Eurelectric, AIE + Electric Disturbance Events report
IEA report “Electricity Grids and Secure Energy Transitions” (october 2023)

Imagine a bustling metropolis where data circulates as freely as traffic on its busiest avenues. This is the reality of modern data centers: the beating hearts of our digital economy. They are indispensable, powering everything from your favorite streaming platforms to the AI tools transforming industries.

But beneath the surface, a critical component often goes unnoticed: power cables. These cables are the backbone of data centers, ensuring electricity flows reliably and efficiently to fuel our connected world.

Let’s explore why power cables are far more than utility components. In fact, they are strategic assets shaping the future of our digital society.

Let’s dive deeper.

At the core of this intricate system are three key players ensuring uninterrupted power delivery:

• Low Voltage (LV) Cables: These connect various internal equipment, playing a vital role in ensuring smooth operations within the facility.
• Medium Voltage (MV) Cables: Essential for linking data centers to main power supplies or backup generators, MV cables handle higher energy loads with reliability.
• High Voltage (HV) Cables: Designed for large-scale facilities, HV cables transmit significant power over long distances, maintaining system integrity and performance.

Each cable is meticulously designed to withstand the unique demands of this high-pressure environment – reliability, efficiency, and safety are paramount. And while they might seem like a small piece of the puzzle, their impact is enormous.

Indeed, despite accounting for only about 2% to 2.5% of a data center’s total construction costs, the significance of electrical power cables cannot be overstated. Studies have shown that power-related issues are a leading cause of data center outages, with uninterruptible power supply (UPS) failures being a primary contributor.

The financial implications of such outages are substantial:

• The average cost of unplanned data center downtime is approximately $7,900 per minute, translating to over $690,000 for an average incident lasting 86 minutes.
• Over 60% of data center failures result in at least $100,000 in total losses, with the share of outages costing upwards of $1 million increasing from 11% to 15% between 2019 and 2022.

With cable technology constantly evolving, the latest advancements are revolutionizing data center infrastructure by addressing key challenges such as fire safety, energy efficiency, and sustainability.

Here are Nexans 4 groundbreaking innovations:

1. Low-carbon cables:

Nexans is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by offering low-carbon cables that integrate recycled materials, including up to 50% recycled plastic and low-carbon aluminum, with the ambition of incorporating 30% recycled copper in the cables by 2030.

Nexans’ low-carbon cables achieve a 35% to 50% reduction in emissions compared to standard cables, supporting data centers in achieving their environmental goals.

2. Fire Safety technology:

Data centers house high-density equipment, making fire risks a major concern. Electrical faults or obsolete installations account for over 25% of building fires in Europe, causing €25 billion in damages annually.

To enhance safety and reliability, Nexans provides a Fire Safety range compliant with the most demanding international safety regulations. Nexans’ Low Fire-Hazard cables incorporate technologies to minimize fire spread and the release of corrosive smoke, whereas our Fire-Resistant cables are designed to maintain circuit integrity, ensuring the critical safety systems remain operational under extreme temperatures. 

4. Superconducting Cables:

With over 30 years of experience, Nexans’ superconducting solutions provide maximum transmission capacity and efficiency.

Compact yet powerful, these cables are ideal for urban data centers facing space constraints and escalating power demands. They allow grid operators to transfer more power at medium voltage without the need for extensive infrastructure upgrades.

Nexans is at the forefront of these advancements. providing a full spectrum of cables – low, medium, and high voltage – designed to meet the diverse electrical demands of data centers.

A Sustainable Future, Powered by Innovation

Power cables are more than just wires.

The role they play in data centers extends far beyond functionality. They are pivotal to ensuring reliability, improving efficiency, and driving sustainability. As data centers evolve to meet the demands of our increasingly digital world, the innovations in cable technology remain a cornerstone of progress.

From fire-resistant designs to low-carbon materials, superconducting technologies, and smart monitoring systems, the innovations shaping cable infrastructure today are setting the stage for a resilient digital future.

At Nexans, we’re proud to empower data centers with cutting-edge solutions that not only meet today’s challenges but also prepare for tomorrow’s opportunities.

Together, we’re building a more connected, sustainable future – one cable at a time.

In the not-too-distant future, you won’t just be driving a vehicle running on electricity when you get behind the wheel, you will be contributing to national energy production!

Or at least that’s the promise of the carmakers, who are already marketing vehicles with bidirectional charging. When you plug in your car for charging, it also becomes a power source for the grid or your home, potentially halving your electricity bill. This technology is already deployed by Tesla in the USA and could be implemented more widely soon, since Renault is working on around fifteen projects of this type in partnership with grid operator Enedis.

​​​​​This is just one of the ways in which energy production is becoming more varied and decentralized, with the transformation of power grids. We could say that this is the end of the traditional model of energy production, based on just one or two producers supplying energy from two or three main sources.

So why do we need to reinvent power grids?

If you hear the term Electricity 4.0, it’s not just another marketing ploy, but a way to underline a break with the past. It relates to the need for more abundant, more efficient and – above all – sustainable energy sources to support ​​​​the fourth industrial revolution, a transformation driven by electric mobility, data centers (cloud computing, data and artificial intelligence) and, first and foremost, the electrification of everything and the digitalization of virtually all areas of activity.

Electricity has all the qualities necessary to address these new challenges. For a clearer understanding, remember that it took 150 years for electricity to meet just one-quarter of our energy requirements, and that we need to reach 60% in just 25 years if we are to meet carbon neutrality targets.

This will involve a 40% increase in electricity demand by 2040, and a six-fold increase in the share of wind and solar power in the energy mix.

This change of scale will require a significant increase in the annual pace of investment in the grid (cables, pylons, transformers, etc.), with figures doubling or tripling compared with the past fifteen years. France, for example, has one of the oldest grids in Europe, with power lines that are 50 years old on average.

Further, renewable electricity is set to dominate the EU electricity sector by 2030. The change is gathering pace, with renewable energies expected to generate 66% of EU electricity by 2030, up from 44% in 2023.

This progress can be achieved only by implementing technological solutions able to fine-tune the balance between production and consumption, and to improve efficiency, security and sustainability.

A profusion of producers

The electricity revolution is all about the multiplication and decentralization of energy production methods.

We have an increasingly complex energy mix, with some countries using energies that are on the way out, like coal and gas, others opting for nuclear power, and – more generally – a growing proportion of hydro, solar and wind power.

At the same time, everybody is free to set up their own installation. This option is now very much a part of everyday life: an increasing number of individuals, SMEs, shopping malls and business corporations are investing in energy production. It is no longer an option reserved solely for major investors: a modest manufacturing firm in southern France can easily meet a third of its electricity needs by installing solar panels.

Between 2022 and 2023 in France, the number of new installations tripled for private customers and doubled for business users. And this is just the beginning, according to Laetitia Brottier, vice-president of Enerplan, the union of solar energy professionals.

Although the complexity of integrating new producers can lead to bottlenecks in grid access, this movement nevertheless plays an essential role in efforts to decarbonize our economies, and it is made possible by the transition towards smart grids.

These new-generation grids enable more agile energy management and make it easier to integrate new decentralized energy production sources, such as wind and solar power. According to a European Union study, optimizing the use of renewable energies through smart grids could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 10 and 15%.

Driven by demand

As a result, a completely new approach is taking shape, since energy production can be initiated and adjusted to reflect demand in the field, and in real time.

A multitude of sensors deployed across the chain, from the end user to the power distribution network, will enable live monitoring of power flows and consumption. This will allow for better management of the load, i.e. the maximum power supported by the system, so that switching on different household appliances at the same time will no longer cause a power cut.

In the same way as electrification, energy efficiency has a key role to play in the energy transition, allowing us to turn the heating on before we get home, control the shutters according to light and weather conditions, and so on. Connected objects will turn our homes into ‘energy ecosystems’, adapting appliances to weather conditions, to our activities, and to the price fluctuations announced by electricity suppliers based on their supply costs. This will make it possible to limit soaring household energy bills, while maintaining comfort.

This transformation will be seen not only in households and residential infrastructures but also on plants and industrial sites. It is already increasingly common for production workers and technicians to operate automated, remotely controlled systems (motors, furnaces, assembly lines, etc.), providing the grid with information on current and future energy consumption. Here again, this allows them to take advantage of the lowest possible market prices.

For this reason, manufacturers are innovating continuously to develop systems able to monitor all the components in the electrotechnical chain, such as electrical transformers, cables and connection accessories such as junctions. The purpose of digitalizing power networks is to monitor the activity and load of all these components, to prevent malfunctions and optimize use. Allowing for the measurement of partial discharges also helps to extend the service life of installations. In consequence, the monitoring of electrical infrastructures pursues two main aims: to measure and optimize power consumption, and to increase network reliability and service life.

Will we finally be able to store electricity and avoid wastage?

It is important to remember that production will inevitably exceed demand from time to time. Electricity consumption remains structurally higher in the daytime, on weekdays and in winter. However, solar production is higher in summer, while high pressure systems bring cold snaps and a lack of wind for wind turbines.

This being so, a large-scale transition to sustainable energies is intrinsically linked to storage technologies. These technologies need to demonstrate their efficiency in coping with variations in the production of renewables, when the sun disappears, or the wind is not strong enough. We are referring here not only to batteries, such as those used in electric vehicles, but also to pumped storage power plants. Note that the three main types of renewable energy – water, solar and wind – are highly complementary.

Sébastien Arbola, Executive Vice-President in charge of Flexible Generation & Retail activities at Engie, said: “For every megawatt of renewable energy installed, we will need between 10 and 15% of equivalent capacity in the form of storage.”

This fast-growing market requires new solutions, such as those developed by Nexans, which is contributing to the design of transmission and distribution networks able to collect renewables at source, and to the integration of storage sites on a larger scale, more widely distributed across a given area.

As you can see, electricity 4.0 is far more than just a technological adjustment. With the planet on high alert, managing electricity is fundamental in the transition to cleaner energies. Renewable power plants are one way to reduce our carbon footprint, along with more efficient distribution networks, new energy storage solutions, and interconnections with networks in neighboring countries.

This will also help us to take back control of our energy supply sources. With geopolitical tensions on the rise, this is vital for limiting energy dependency, managing price fluctuations and ensuring grid security.

As a key driver to move away from fossil fuels, which are a massive source of CO2 emissions, renewables are an essential part of the future of energy. In this context of race against time to combat climate change, a growing emphasis is put on decarbonization of electricity.

The transition to renewable energy on a large scale is reliant on energy storage technologies. Energy storage is an essential part of the transition to clean energy and the foundation upon which the decarbonization of today’s grids must be built. Due to the intermittent nature of renewable energy — mainly wind and solar — grid operators must rely on energy storage systems to balance supply and demand. This interdependence means that storage is integral to grid resilience and reliability.

It is projected that by 2030, global energy storage installations will reach a cumulative 411 gigawatts (GW), according to the latest forecast from research company BloombergNEF — an increase of 15 times the storage online in 2021.

Other significant factors driving energy storage growth are government policies aimed at curbing increasing energy prices, meeting peak demand, and energy independence. In 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) bill was signed into law, representing the U.S.’s largest investment to fight climate change.

Energy storage challenges: the need for widespread grid-scale technologies

A major challenge facing the industry today is the need for widespread grid-scale storage technologies. Today, the most viable solution is pumped-storage hydropower, which generates electricity by pumping water into a reservoir and then releasing it to generate electricity at a different time. Unfortunately, this technology can only be applied in specific locations. As such, grid operators must resort to fossil fuel energy sources to meet peak demand periods.

However, in recent years, advancements in storage technologies are now providing new opportunities for the potential to meet energy fluctuations in energy demand without resorting to fossil fuels. Thus giving grid operators the ability to store excess renewable energy and, to some extent, help balance in real-time energy demand to meet peak periods.

Five renewable energy storage technologies ensuring a reliable power supply

Proper energy storage ensures a reliable power supply as the electricity grid becomes more dependent on variable renewable energy (VRE) sources. What often differentiates technologies are their storage capabilities, reactivity, scalability, and application requirements.

Thermal energy storage: a viable alternative for commercial buildings

The emergence of newer thermal energy storage (TES) technologies is making it a viable alternative in commercial buildings. TES systems can store heat or cold to be used later and are divided into three types: sensible heat, latent heat, and thermochemical. When installed in a building, a TSE solution allows the building itself to act as a thermal battery — storing renewable energy in tanks or vessels to be used when needed.

Superconducting magnetic energy storage: for an instant and efficient release of energy

Superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) stores energy in a magnetic field. Because it can release stored energy instantaneously, it is considered ideal for grid applications requiring fast reaction time. Due to its negligible energy losses, there is increasing interest in finding a way to use it in large-scale energy storage applications. A few prototypes are currently in service, mostly under investigation, and they are beginning to be identified as a possible cost-effective solution.

What is the future of energy storage?

New materials and the development and supply of storage batteries for surplus renewable energy are quickly evolving to meet maturing requirements. Newer power electronics can convert stored energy into electricity to provide low to zero-impact solutions.

Nexans contributes in several ways to the energy transition, of which electricity storage is a key element, starting with the supply of transmission and distribution grids for the collection of renewable energy—wind and solar—at the source. It is crucial to collect electricity where it is generated (e.g. offshore wind farms) at an acceptable cost. The integration of storage sites is based on the same connection capacity, whether on a high-power scale or more widely distributed over a region.

Integrating variable renewable energies into smart grids will require an ever-increasing ability to monitor real-time usage requirements alongside automated systems in order to balance demand and supply loads. Faced with the need for greater flexibility, Nexans has developed new services accordingly.

For electric mobility applications, which are highly dependent on the technical and economic performance of electricity storage, Nexans supplies proper cable connections and protections, as for charging stations of electric vehicles, through specific safety functionalities to ensure safe energy storage.

Nexans has also acquired worldwide expertise and leadership in electrical and fire safety, that can be extended to the new applications of storage, such as vehicle batteries as they are becoming increasingly crucial.

The Group has been innovating for decades with industrial cryogenic and superconducting systems, such as with the development of a cryogenic transfer system of liquefied natural gas and hydrogen. As liquid hydrogen is very likely to play a key role in storage, Nexans will continue to innovate with breakthrough technologies to design tomorrow’s electricity grid.

Progress in energy storage technologies is vital to the transition to clean energy and the decarbonization of electricity. In the future, large-scale energy storage technologies will evolve and thus provide smart grids with the ability to reach their full potential. Diversifying and strengthening the supply chain of the new equipment for a massive deployment is a major challenge, especially for critical raw materials in a tense geopolitical context. Innovating by recycling materials used in end-of-life products is already a key driver, for which Nexans has prepared and positioned itself particularly well

Today, governments from around the globe with bold commitments to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are pressuring the construction and building sector to reduce its carbon emissions and consumption of raw materials.

And for good reason. Commercial and residential buildings are responsible for almost 40% of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and consume 30% of final energy globally. Decarbonizing the building and construction sector is critical to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Doing so will need fundamental changes in how buildings are designed, built, and operated worldwide. This shift will require the sector to favor more environmentally friendly building materials and practices, institute better material efficiency strategies, and reduce raw material usage.

Innovative construction materials

The move to innovative low-carbon building materials is essential to reduce the building and construction sector’s environmental impact. Concrete is not only the most commonly used building material but is responsible for 8% of global GHG emissions.

A viable alternative to traditional concrete is low-carbon brick made from recycled materials or traditional clay bricks fired in a low-carbon process using biogas from waste, biomass methanation, or solar and wind power.

Construction materials company Saint-Gobain, for example, is leading the way in the production of sustainable, low-carbon products. Earlier this year, the global company announced the production of zero-carbon plasterboard at its modernized plant in Fredrikstad, Norway. Decarbonizing the manufacturing process was possible by switching from natural gas to hydroelectric power, thus avoiding 23,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually. In addition, the company is the first in the industry to produce zero-carbon flat glass, made possible by using 100% recycled glass (cullet) and 100% green energy produced from biogas and decarbonized electricity.

Eco-friendly materials such as hemp and flax are viable alternatives for reducing the sector’s environmental impact. Cavac Biomatériaux, specializing in the industrial application of plant fibers, manufactures insulation from hemp and flax.

Better material efficiency strategies

The 2022 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction foresees global consumption of raw materials to double by 2060. By implementing better material efficiency strategies, there is a massive potential for the building sector to reduce its GHG emissions, according to the report’s panel.

Furthermore, material efficiency strategies, including recycled materials, in G7 countries could reduce emissions in the material cycle of residential buildings by more than 80% in 2050. Globally, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that the circular economy would reduce CO2 emissions from building materials by 38% in 2050.

A key initiative within the European Union’s Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) is the Digital Product Passport (DPP). This initiative aims to make sustainable products the norm in the EU by facilitating transparency throughout the value chain and boosting circular business models. Instituting a circular business model in the building and construction sector is key to reaching important sustainability targets.

Reducing raw materials usage

Construction materials and products are estimated to consume 50% of all raw materials extracted from the Earth’s crust, and demolition activities represent 50% of all waste generated. To reduce its cables’ environmental impact, Nexans increasingly uses low-impact materials throughout the production value chain.

It is projected that the availability of important raw materials will continue to decrease in the years to come. An example is copper, an essential component of electrical cables and wiring due to its high conductivity and strength. Because copper mining can no longer meet global demand, 40% of copper production comes from recycled copper.

For over 35 years, Nexans has been recycling copper and aluminum scrap as part of its Sustainable Development policy to reduce raw material usage and promote a circular business model. In 2008, Nexans and SUEZ launched RECYCÂBLES, France’s leading recycler of cables and non-ferrous metals. The joint venture processes 36,000 tonnes annually of cables, generating 18,000 tonnes of metal granules and 13,000 tonnes of plastic. The combination of leading-edge technologies enables the generation of 99.9% pure copper granules.

Today, Nexans uses up to 15% of recycled copper in new cable manufactured and is on target to use recycled aluminum by 2024. Employing recycled copper, aluminum, and plastics provides Nexans’ customers a sustainable product without compromising quality.

Environmentally friendly building materials

With the global floor area expected to double by 2060, implementing energy-efficient and environmentally friendly building materials and practices is vital.

Nexans is working to improve the impact of its products by sourcing components that meet reduced energy usage guidelines established by the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) directives. In addition, Nexans’ R&D product development aims to protect the environment and human health by managing the chemical substances used in its manufacturing processes and ensuring that all new projects take into account the end product’s environmental footprint. For example, starting in 2025, a large part of cables manufactured at the Nexans facility in Autun, France, will be halogen-free to reduce their toxic gas emissions in the event of a fire.

Energy-efficient, zero-carbon buildings will require looking at how building materials are designed, made, and used. This will mean examining the value chain and changing how we make, use, and reuse all materials—from the actual product to the packaging and transportation—to reduce the industry’s overall environmental impact.

Superconductivity is currently the subject of intense interest and debate, fuelled in particular by research into superconductors at ambient temperature and pressure, the discovery of which would trigger a technological revolution. The many questions raised by this work are reminiscent of the scientific challenges researchers had to overcome when they discovered high-temperature superconductors in 1986. A look back at this crucial technology for the cable industry, exploring recent advances, persistent challenges, but also how Nexans is providing the world’s very first superconducting cable system integrated into a rail network.

As we move towards an all-electric future, the need to increase power supply in cities becomes ever more urgent. Equally important is the need for resilience: as electricity becomes the main source of energy, supply will need to be 100% reliable. Downtime is not an option.

Why superconductors?

Superconducting cable are electrical connectivity miracles. They have unique qualities that make them perfectly suited to modern, high-capacity electrification projects in cities.

First, superconducting cables can carry extraordinarily high currents – far greater than conventional copper or aluminium cables. This makes it possible to transmit and distribute electricity at relatively low voltages. In practical terms, this means there is less need for substations in city centres – a major cost saving.

Second, superconductors can transmit a huge amount of power relative to their size. For example, a single superconducting cable with a diameter of just 17 cm can transmit 3.2 GW – enough to power a large city. Corridors for superconducting cables can be as narrow as one metre, meaning they can be deployed with minimal disruption.

Third, superconducting cables do not produce heat and can be fully shielded on an electromagnetic standpoint, so there is no interference with power, telecom and pipe networks which typically criss-cross cities. Many of the constraints that govern cable routing do not apply when superconductors are used.

On top of this, superconductors are incredibly efficient. Superconducting cables have extremely low resistance when an AC current is carried and no resistance when the current is DC, so losses are minimal.

A first for rail

Nexans is working with SNCF, France’s national rail company, on a pioneering project to boost power supplies to Montparnasse station in Paris using superconducting cables.

Montparnasse is one of the busiest railway stations in France and handles more than 50 million passengers a year. This figure is expected to exceed 90 million by 2030. Handling new demand will require extra trains – and extra power.

As with any city-centre power upgrade, the big challenge at Montparnasse was finding a way to bring in a new power supply without the need to dig up the surrounding roads – which can be a long, expensive and disruptive process.

Fortunately, the existing cable route between Montparnasse railway station and the substation that serves it had spare conduits available. Unfortunately, there were only four of them. Using conventional copper cables to deliver the required power would require a dozen of cables. What could be done?

Superconducting cables are the answer. Nexans’ solution uses just two cables, each less than 100mm in diameter so they can be easily threaded through the existing conduits. Despite their small dimensions, each cable is capable of handling 5.3 MW, or 3500 A at 1500 VDC – a huge amount of electrical energy.

What makes this project so significant is that it is the first-ever use of superconducting cables in France, and the first time superconductors are integrated in a railway grid anywhere in the world. The new power supply at Montparnasse will be commissioned in 2023.

What does the future hold?

The Montparnasse project underlines the massive potential superconducting cable systems have for boosting power supplies in cities – particularly where site constraints place limits on the use of conventional copper and aluminium cabling.

Rail transport aside, superconducting cable systems are likely to play a bigger and bigger role in satisfying the rising demand for electricity. This is being driven by new commercial uses – such as data centres – and by new sources of domestic consumption, which include electric vehicle charging, heat pumps and air conditioning.

In addition to meeting increased demand for bulk power, superconducting systems will play a critical role in boosting the resilience of urban electricity networks.

The Resilient Electric Grid (REG) project in Chicago, USA, underlines the direction of travel. Nexans designed, manufactured and installed a superconducting cable for the REG system, which helps to prevent power outages by interconnecting and sharing excess energy capacity from nearby substations, and by preventing high fault currents.

Nexans is the global leader in superconducting cable systems. Our unique capabilities in R&D, innovation, testing, manufacturing and deployment mean that we are perfectly placed to assist our customers, partners and stakeholders as they prepare to electrify the future.