Page 14 - Energize May 2021

NEWS

Energy giants sign landmark agreement to reduce GHG

in high-voltage equipment

In an industry first, two global leaders in power technologies have entered into a non-exclusive, cross-licensing agreement which will
allow them to expand their range of high-voltage equipment using a game-changing gas alternative to sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)

itachi ABB Power Grids and GE Renewable Energy’s Grid “As part of our commitment towards a carbon-neutral future and
Solutions business have announced a non-exclusive, cross- accelerating the energy transition, we have chosen to work towards a
Hlicensing agreement related to the use of an alternative gas standard solution to address the needs of our customers through this
to sulphur hexafluoride (SF ) used in high voltage equipment. This cross-licensing agreement,” said Markus Heimbach, Managing Director
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fluoronitrile-based gas mixture has a significantly reduced impact on the of the High Voltage Products business in Hitachi ABB Power Grids.
environment compared to SF . “As a technology leader, we have always been at the frontier of gas-
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Under this landmark agreement announced just before Earth Day insulated switchgear (GIS) that became a key enabler for urbanisation
2021 between two global leaders in power technologies, both companies and installed the very first SF -free GIS that significantly reduces carbon
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will share complementary intellectual property related to their respective footprint,” he added.
SF -free solutions. This will help accelerate the use of fluoronitrile-based “Utilities are becoming increasingly aware of their environmental
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eco-efficient insulation and switching gas in high-voltage equipment as footprint and the impact it has on their communities and the world
an alternative to SF . A recent EU Commission report concluded that around them. Today’s landmark agreement reinforces our commitment
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fluoronitrile-based gas mixtures may be the only insulating and switching to help our customers to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions,”
gas alternative to SF when space is a constraint. said Heiner Markhoff, CEO of GE’s Grid Solutions. “GE pioneered this
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Today’s historic agreement paves the way for a standard SF - fluoronitrile-based gas which we named g3 and subsequently developed
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free solution for high-voltage equipment in the coming years. This a broad SF -free product range. Our g3 SF -free products have been
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would enable utilities and industries to accelerate their reduction of commercially available since 2015 and feature the same compactness
greenhouse gas emissions, while facilitating their ability to plan, as well and performance as traditional SF equipment,” he added.
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as operate and maintain their networks, thanks to standardised services The two companies will keep the product development,
and the use of the same auxiliary equipment. manufacturing, sales, marketing, and service activities of their
SF , an insulating and switching gas commonly used in high-voltage gas solutions fully independent. Each company will continue to
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electrical equipment, is a potent greenhouse gas (GHG). independently grant and set terms of licenses to its respective
For almost half a century, SF gas has been the norm in the electrical intellectual property, hence preserving supplier base diversity for the
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power transmission and distribution industry due to its unique physical industry and fair competition.
properties. It is, however, a greenhouse gas which contributes to global
warming if leaked. For this reason, Hitachi ABB Power Grids and GE have Contact Thembisile Dzonzi, Hitachi ABB Power Grids,
been investing in the development of better alternatives to SF . Tel 010 202-5841, thembisile.dzonzi@hitachi-powergrids.com
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