Laying the groundwork for migration to an SF6-free future

Achieving sustainable electrification is much more complex than simply bringing more renewables online and improving energy efficiency. Even green electricity has the potential to negatively affect the environment and climate from the infrastructure used to transfer the electricity from source to socket.

If we want to create a truly sustainable future, we need to take a holistic view and also tackle greenhouse gases wherever we find them, and this includes looking across the grid, from switchgear in substations and beyond.

For decades, medium voltage switchgear equipment has used sulphur hexafluoride, commonly known as SF6, as an insulator and arc suppressant - a job it is incredibly well suited for. But despite its benefits, it is also one of the most potent greenhouse gases in existence, with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) 25,200 times that of carbon dioxide, and an atmospheric lifetime of up to 3,200 years. ?

The European Union (EU) recognized how damaging SF6 is and began legislating to control F-gas emissions in 2006. In the most recent development, it has outlined plans to ban its use in new Medium Voltage (MV) electrical equipment up to 24 kV by 2026, and up to 52 kV by 2030.

?To help the power generation industry gear up for the coming changes, ABB has created a comprehensive new white paper to help make the shift to SF6-free solutions as seamless as possible, and also pioneered SF6-free alternative technologies with our ecoGISTM range.

?The whitepaper outlines the current legislative landscape, how we arrived at this point, and what is likely to happen in the future. The paper also provides easy-to-follow, step-by-step guidance to help organizations make the transition and highlights ABB’s solutions, with case studies demonstrating the benefits and performance in real world applications.

?Change is around the corner

For now, the current F-gas regulation simply stipulates careful management practices of operational SF6 switchgear, focusing on leak prevention, record keeping and the use of certified technicians. Change, however, is around the corner.

?The new regulatory proposals in the European Union mean power system operators will soon have little choice but to begin their migration to more eco-friendly alternatives.

?As early adopters and innovators of SF6-free technology, our ecoGIS? switchgear portfolio provides a robust alternative to SF6. Within this portfolio, ABB pioneered the use of its AirPlus? SF6-free gas mixture technology in MV switchgear above 12 kV, which acts as an insulator with almost zero GWP. Already, there are more than 9000 solutions using ABB SF6-free switchgear technology in operation around the world, but there is still a lot more to be done.

?Despite the new proposed rules, many operators are struggling to make the wholesale shift to SF6-free solutions before the legislative deadlines have been finalized. Given that switchgear can have a lifespan in the region of up to 40 years, this could represent an extremely expensive and environmentally destructive mistake.

?Avoid last-minute decisions

It’s advisable to start planning for the inevitable migration to SF6-free technologies now, an approach that will

-??????Allow your organization enough time to pilot SF6-free switchgear, evaluate performance and assess cost, so that you don’t have to rush purchase decisions at the last minute

-??????Enable you to build relationships with your suppliers that can offer consultative expertise throughout your migration

-??????Provide enough time to turn pipeline projects into live installations across your organization

-??????Help avoid rushed installations, and potential fines and sanctions should you miss the deadline.

?Our whitepaper, “Migrating to a more certain future”, goes into the migration process in detail but also with practical considerations and examples, and can be downloaded here.

?Are you ready to change, or are you waiting for a bit more clarity and some more specific timeframes before you take action? Is an outright ban going to be too expensive to implement? What more could and/or should we be doing to mitigate the environmental damage already done and create a more sustainable future? I’m always interested to hear other people’s perspectives and thoughts, so look forward to reading your comments.