Hitachi Energy has announced that it will deliver the world’s first sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)-free 550 kV gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) to the Central China Branch of the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC). Achievement of this installation marks a positive step toward decarbonising the power grid and should contribute to China’s target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060.
SGCC is the world’s largest utility company, serving over 1.1 billion people across 88 % of China’s national territory. As a prominent player in the energy sector, SGCC has developed an ambitious action plan for carbon neutrality.
The SF6-free 550 kV GIS is part of ‘EconiQ’, Hitachi Energy’s proprietary portfolio for sustainability. By replacing SF6 with a sustainable gas mixture, this GIS eliminates the greenhouse gas emissions caused by SF6 while maintaining the same performance and compact design as conventional solutions. Replacing SF6 is crucial for protecting the environment because it has a global warming potential 24 300 times higher than CO2, and leaks from equipment can remains in the atmosphere for over 1000 years.
This project is the world’s first pilot application of 550 kV SF6-free GIS, and is considered to be of great significance by SGCC in its aim to transform the electrical industry by achieving its decarbonisation goals.
Markus Heimbach, managing director of business unit High Voltage Products at Hitachi Energy, commented, “The world’s first SF6-free 550 kV GIS represents a major milestone in our journey to provide sustainable and efficient power grid solutions … we are addressing the industry’s demand for reliable and eco-efficient high-voltage switchgear and helping to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable, flexible, and secure energy system.”
