In response to surging copper theft and escalating supply chain costs, engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firms are rapidly transitioning to high-voltage aluminum cabling. GBP today announced that over 200,000 meters of its flagship 3300V High-Voltage Aluminum Cable have been deployed in just one year—a milestone marking a definitive industry shift toward more resilient and cost-effective solar farm construction.

As ground-mount solar installations expand into remote areas, the physical threat of copper theft has created a financial crisis for asset owners. In Japan, a key market for GBP, reported theft cases increased twentyfold between 2019 and 2024. Individual incidents have resulted in losses ranging from $6.5 million to $32 million (USD) for owners, coupled with two to three months of downtime that directly jeopardize Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) reliability.

GBP addresses this vulnerability at the material level. By transitioning from copper to high-grade aluminum, the solution removes the criminal incentive entirely—aluminum holds a fraction of the scrap value of copper. However, the technical leap lies in ensuring that high-voltage (3300V) aluminum cables match the rigorous performance of their copper counterparts.

The Industry’s First JET-Certified Solution in Japan:
GBP’s 3300V High-Voltage Aluminum Cable is the first and only cable of its kind to secure JET certification, the gold standard for electrical safety in Japan. The certification validates the cable’s structural integrity, voltage endurance, and water treeing resistance (EE type), ensuring full compliance with international IEC standards.

For EPCs and procurement managers, this technical validation de-risks project execution in two critical ways:
・As the industry’s first-mover with JET certification—while also meeting stringent IEC standards—the cable provides a clear, bankable pathway for projects requiring rigorous third-party testing across global markets.
・Significant Cost Savings: The inherent lower cost of aluminum allows clients to reduce initial capital expenditures by 3–10% on overall project costs. Furthermore, by mitigating theft risk, asset owners have successfully negotiated reduced insurance premiums.

Future Outlook:
Effective utilization of limited copper resources and the construction of a secure power infrastructure. GBP firmly believes that achieving both of these goals is key to contributing to a sustainable society. As a leading company in the industry, we will continue to pursue further technological development and product expansion, supporting our customers in operating safe and secure power generation businesses.
We invite you to [contact us] for more information or to discuss how GBP can support your next project.