The Next Phase of the Energy Transition: Why Distribution Networks Need More Than Standard Solutions
Dennis Bergsma, Head of R&D at Lovink Enertech. In this article, he shares his professional perspective on the challenges facing modern distribution networks and the role of lifecycle-focused cable jointing solutions in supporting long-term network reliability.
The distribution network has become a critical asset
For many years, the energy transition was mainly seen as a generation challenge. The focus was on building wind farms, solar parks and replacing fossil generation with renewable electricity. That phase is still important, but it is no longer the whole story. The next phase is different: the real challenge is how to connect, transport, manage and reliably distribute electrical power.
Across Europe and beyond, the same pattern is becoming visible. Value shifts from generation assets towards distribution grids, flexibility, storage, digitalisation, reliability and system integration. Utilities need to connect more assets, operate networks closer to their limits, work with fewer skilled people and make better use of existing infrastructure.
That changes the role of medium-voltage cable accessories. The future is not simply about installing more standard cable joints. It is about reducing failure risk, reducing installation burden, protecting asset lifetime and creating lifecycle value in networks that are becoming more heavily loaded, more dynamic and more critical.
Where standard solutions fall short
Standardisation remains essential. It provides clarity, repeatability and a minimum level of confidence. But standard compliance alone is not always enough. The operating conditions that are currently observed are revealing the shortcomings of current standards. For example, testing is performed with a perfect 50 or 60 Hz signal, and environmental factors, such as heat waves, are disregarded. The relevant question is no longer only: does the joint pass the standard? The more important question increasingly becomes: will the joint continue to perform reliably for the required service life under real field conditions?
Utilities, industrial customers and contractors are therefore asking broader questions. How can installation risk be reduced? How can premature failures be avoided? How can performance be maintained under thermal stress, moisture and ageing? How can lifecycle cost be controlled?
These questions move the discussion away from lowest purchase price and towards lifecycle value. A customer does not buy a cable joint because it wants a joint. A customer buys confidence: a reliable network, predictable performance, lower failure risk and service life that matches the asset strategy. This is where premium solutions become necessary: not premium as a label, but premium because the cost of failure, outage, replacement, rework and operational uncertainty is much higher than the initial component price.
The design takes into account long‑term loading, ease of maintenance, and the impact of harmonics generated by inverters.
Product leadership in practice
Italy provides a clear example. In networks facing extremely high failure rates in medium-voltage joints, the issue is not merely the individual component. The real issue is lifecycle performance: premature failures reduce useful life and increase operational cost, outage risk and replacement pressure. If the failure mechanism is linked to environmental exposure, moisture, ageing or installation sensitivity, continuing with traditional standard joint concepts does not necessarily solve the problem.
Technologies like liquid insulation and resin protection address precisely this type of challenge. Liquid insulation supports long-term dielectric performance, while the resin protection creates a robust barrier against moisture and environmental influences. The objective is not simply to pass a test, but to restore the cable joint system to the necessary service life and associated lifecycle cost level.
Germany shows the same principle from another angle. In a long-distance network distributing power from a wind farm, traditional cable joints suffered from overheating and premature failure due to high sheath currents. Replacing one standard joint with another would not have solved the root cause. By applying cross-bonding solutions to reduce sheath currents, the system could be brought back towards the expected service life. The lesson is clear: future reliability often requires system thinking, not only component replacement.
Moisture, heat and ageing: old problems in new forms
Moisture ingress has always been one of the great enemies of underground cable systems. Historically, the discussion focused on high water tables, flooded manholes, damaged outer protection or incorrectly applied shrink technologies. Climate change is changing the context. Moisture and environmental stress now appear in more diverse and demanding forms: repeated flooding, floating water conditions, summer or winter heatwaves, high ground temperatures and accelerated material ageing.
Italy has shown how heat and environmental conditions can become part of the reliability discussion. Similar concerns are visible in regions exposed to extreme heat, such as parts of the United States. Heatwaves, dry soil conditions and water ingress do not act separately; together, they accelerate stress on underground cable accessories.
Proven resin-based technology remains highly relevant. It is not a fashionable solution; it is a timeless one. A robust resin protection system provides a stable barrier against moisture and environmental exposure, while supporting long-term performance in real field conditions.
From component supplier to lifecycle partner
Failure investigations on shrink-based medium-voltage joints often point towards familiar root causes: assembly or positioning errors, material damage resulting from installation, breakdown due to material ageing, overheating or environmental exposure. The pattern is important. Many failures are not caused by one single factor. They result from the interaction between product design, installation practice, material behaviour, thermal loading and environmental conditions.
The value of the next generation accessories will not stem solely from the physical connection. That value will come from the combination of product performance, installation quality, diagnostics, field knowledge, and lifecycle support.
For DNOs, industrial customers and contractors, the better question is not: what is the cheapest joint? The better question is: which solution best protects the network over its required service life? This opens the door to premium lifecycle-based solutions: installation-tolerant joint systems, robust insulation and sealing concepts, cross-bonding and system-level current management, installer training, failure analysis, diagnostic support and lifecycle advisory services.
The future will reward lifecycle value
The next decade will not be defined by who can manufacture the lowest-cost standard component. It will be defined by who can help network operators, contractors and industrial customers build, operate and maintain complex distribution networks with confidence.
The conclusion is clear: the future value of a cable accessory will increasingly depend on how it contributes to network utilisation, reliability and lifecycle confidence — not only on whether it meets today’s minimum standard.
The energy transition is entering a new phase. The winners will not only be those who generate renewable energy. They will be those who enable distribution networks to connect, manage and reliably use it.
For Lovink, that means building on proven technology and moving further into premium, lifecycle-oriented solutions for the distribution networks of the future.
