Offshore substations (OSS) play a pivotal role in transforming and converting electricity produced at wind farms offshore to the grid onshore.
HVAC platforms have dominated the OSS market so far, but as project scale and grid integration models evolve, HVDC platforms are increasingly becoming a core enabler of offshore wind built-out.
However, OSS lead times are impacting procurement decisions and project success.
🔹 HVAC: Maturity and broad supplier competition enable lead times of 2–3 years at their best. HVAC saw decreasing lead times in past years, but high demand and order intake in recent years created significantly longer lead times.
🔹 HVDC: High concentration with just three suppliers dominating the market and growing demand. Lead times have just hit a new average of 6 years.
With lead times increasing, OSS contract award dates – not project FID – increasingly function as the "real" project start, highlighting that manufacturing and construction backlogs can become a leading indicator for offshore wind delivery risk.
Clients can explore this and much more in Aegir Insights’ Offshore Substations Order Book, mapping out orders on OSS, including:
🔹High-voltage alternative current (HVAC) and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) platforms installed and ordered,
🔹Order status, contracting parties, timing and technical specifications,
🔹Track records and market shares, as well as historical delivery times and planned delivery timing of substation manufacturers,
🔹Comparison of OSS project timelines with offshore wind projects and their relative maturity levels.
Combining these insights from the OSS Order Book with offshore wind farm data enables Aegir Insights’ clients to access and review project progress and risk on either side of the procurement spectrum, helping to identify potential risks in timing on either side of the OSS delivery and grid connection.
Want to discuss access to the OSS database or learn more about our data and analytics offerings?
Reach out to book a meeting with us.
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