High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) subsea cables are critical to the UK's Net Zero transition, connecting offshore renewables and interconnectors to the electricity network. However, stakeholders including The Crown Estate, Cefas, Marine Scotland and commercial fisheries have identified uncertainty around the ecological effects of cable-generated electromagnetic fields (EMF) on marine organisms. SABRES builds on National Grid's T2 NIA-funded BLUEFIN project, which investigated magnetic field impacts on benthic marine species. SABRES extends this research by examining electric fields and the combined effects of electric and magnetic fields under realistic operating conditions. The project will develop representative EMF exposure systems, assess behavioural and physiological responses, compare impacts against other environmental stressors, and provide evidence to support offshore consenting, environmental assessments and National Grid guidance on marine EMF impacts

Benefits

SABRES will deliver environmental, regulatory and consumer benefits by improving the evidence base relating to the ecological effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) generated by HVDC subsea cable systems. The project addresses a recognised knowledge gap identified by stakeholders including The Crown Estate, Cefas, Marine Scotland and commercial fisheries regarding the impacts of cable-generated electric and magnetic fields on marine benthic species. 
The project will provide National Grid with a scientifically robust understanding of how marine organisms respond to electric fields and combined electromagnetic field exposure under realistic operating conditions. This evidence will support more proportionate and evidence-based environmental assessments for future offshore transmission and interconnector projects. 
Benefits include: 
Reduced consenting and planning risk for future offshore infrastructure projects. 
Improved stakeholder confidence through the provision of high-quality scientific evidence. 
Better-informed environmental impact assessments and mitigation strategies. 
Support for National Grid's group-wide guidance on marine EMF impacts. 
Reduced likelihood of unnecessary mitigation requirements, route amendments or additional survey requirements. 
Improved understanding of the relative significance of EMF compared with other environmental and anthropogenic marine stressors. 
Facilitation of offshore renewable generation and interconnector projects required to achieve Net Zero targets. 
The outputs will be applicable across future HVDC developments including offshore transmission systems and interconnectors and will be disseminated widely through NIA knowledge-sharing activities to maximise industry benefit.