Siemens Energy has been awarded a contract to deliver ten bays of SF6-free gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) to Fingrid, Finland’s transmission system operator.
It will be the first GIS in Finland that replaces SF6 as the most potent greenhouse gas in the world with “clean air”, a pure mixture of nitrogen and oxygen with zero potential for global warming. It represents Siemens Energy’s largest order for SF6-free high-voltage GIS in Europe to date.
Greenhouse gas
SF6 is a fluorinated gas (F-gas) with a potential for global warming around 23,500 times greater than carbon dioxide and a life span of 3,200 years in the earth’s atmosphere. However, due to its unique physical properties, it is in most of the world’s substations still the insulating gas of choice.
Green modernization
Fingrid decided to modernize the 110kV switchgear in Virkkala substation in Lohja, located 60 km west of Helsinki, so that it operates without any climate-harming gases. The GIS of type 8VN1 from Siemens Energy’s SF6-free Blue portfolio will ensure safe, climate-neutral, and reliable power transmission operation by using vacuum interrupters for switching and clean air as insulation medium, leading to an improved switching performance, simplified operation and maintenance while meeting highest health and safety standards. Commissioning is scheduled for summer 2022.
Also See: Global Giants GE And Hitachi ABB Power Grids Join Hands Towards SF6 Mitigation
Generally banned, but not completely
Due to its high climate-harming potential and its long atmospheric lifetime, SF6 is banned for most applications with exception of the electricity sector. However, as part of the European Green Deal, the European Commission is currently reviewing the regulation of fluorinated gases.
Alternatives to SF6
Over the past decade, Siemens Energy has invested in the development of chemical-free alternatives to SF6 and as a result introduced the future-proof Blue portfolio which operates completely free of any F-gases and thereby goes beyond the common safety and environmental standards. It not only emphasizes the green aspect of the transmission technology, but also provides many other benefits for gas-insulated switchgear, circuit breakers and instrument transformers. Over the next years, Siemens Energy will implement their clean air technology at higher voltages as well.
Featured photograph shows the GIS of type 8VN1 from Siemens Energy’s SF6 -free Blue portfolio.
