Material Insights · Understanding the Material World

HVDC links and Underground, submarine and superconducting cables

Energy flows from underground, submarine and superconducting cables to HVDC links; their prices have moved together.

HVDC links (energy) and Underground, submarine and superconducting cables (energy): 2 relationships.

How they are linked

1. Energy flow

Physical flow · Direct · Underground, submarine and superconducting cables → HVDC links

Long subsea cables usually carry direct current.

2. Price link: main component

Cost and price · Strong · Both ways

Long HVDC projects spend heavily on cable, especially under the sea. The cable index correlates at 0.34 for monthly moves and 0.72 for yearly moves, reflecting the shared grid investment cycle and copper costs rather than a fixed formula.

  • 0.34 monthly change correlation
  • 0.72 12-month change correlation
  • 1.12 fitted elasticity

Built from the site data on production routes, energy flows, industry value chains, input-output tables and prices.