Imagine the giant switches that protect our power grid like oversized fuses in your home. Currently, these use a gas that is thousands of times worse for the planet than CO2. This work replaces that harmful gas with cleaner alternatives to keep electricity flowing safely from wind and solar farms to our cities.
Power grids rely on SF6 gas for insulation, which is the most potent greenhouse gas known. As grids expand to include more renewables, the leakage of this gas creates a massive environmental liability for grid operators.
Three SF6-free products: an HVAC circuit breaker, an HVDC gas-insulated switchgear (GIS), and an MVDC circuit breaker.
If you are a TSO dealing with high greenhouse gas emissions from aging infrastructure — this project developed SF6-free HVAC and HVDC switchgear that eliminates the use of the world's most potent GHG. This allows for cleaner grid expansion to integrate remote renewables.
If you are a manufacturer dealing with strict environmental regulations on SF6 gas — this project developed three new types of SF6-free products. This provides a technical path to reach TRL 8 for high-voltage AC and DC components.
If you are a developer dealing with the need to transport power from remote locations to cities — this project developed MVDC and HVDC switchgear. This ensures the transmission infrastructure is climate-neutral and resilient.
Based on available project data, specific pricing and cost figures for the SF6-free switchgear are not provided.
The project targets TRL 8 for SF6-free HVAC circuit breakers and HVDC GIS, and TRL 6 for MVDC circuit breakers, indicating a transition from testing to pilot deployment.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not mentioned, though development is led by partners like Siemens Energy and G&W.
The need is driven by the goal to reach a climate-neutral society by 2050 and the high global warming potential of SF6 gas.
The project runs from 2024-01-01 to 2027-12-31, with goals to demonstrate products in Norway, France, and Germany.
The consortium is heavily industry-driven with a 58% industry ratio (7 out of 12 partners), suggesting a strong focus on commercial viability. It involves major players like Siemens Energy and G&W, alongside 3 universities and 2 research centers across 9 countries, ensuring a balance between academic research on gas mixtures and industrial type-testing.
Contact SINTEF ENERGI AS in Norway
Contact us to connect with the MISSION consortium for SF6-free grid integration.
