Page 16 - Energize January 2022

NEWS

Hitachi Energy partners with National Grid on

world’s first replacement of SF in existing
6
high-voltage equipment

The innovation called EconiQ™ retrofill uses eco-efficient gas mixture to support National Grid in achieving
their sustainability targets

urich, Switzerland, 09 December, transformational green technology will help achieve wide-scale decarbonisation on our
2021 – Hitachi Energy and National electricity transmission network. The retrofill solution replaces SF 6, cutting emissions and
ZGrid have successfully energized a network outages at the same time as saving costs by avoiding the need to spend on costly
pilot project replacing SF 6 in installed high- replacement equipment”, said Chris Bennett, Acting President of National Grid. “We are
voltage gas-insulated lines with an eco- proud to be working with Hitachi Energy, and to demonstrate a practical solution to a
efficient fluoronitrile based gas mixture. significant issue in the energy industry’s transition to net zero.”
This retrofill solution, in Richborough, UK is EconiQ is Hitachi Energy’s eco-efficient portfolio for sustainability, where products,
part of Hitachi Energy’s EconiQ portfolio, services and solutions are proven to deliver exceptional environmental performance.
TM
which is designed to deliver a superior Recently, the company announced the acceleration of its development of eco-efficient
environmental performance compared to solutions, outlining its extensive EconiQ roadmap of switchgear and breakers in various
conventional solutions. voltage levels. Hitachi Energy has placed sustainability at the heart of its purpose and is
As one of the world’s largest investor- advancing a sustainable energy future for all.
owned transmission and distribution
utilities, National Grid has the ambition Notes
to remove all SF 6 from its fleet by 2050. 1 Retrofill is the process of replacing SF 6 in an existing equipment with a new eco-efficient gas
In this pioneering project, National Grid mixture to improve the environmental and life-cycle performance of the equipment.
has replaced SF 6 from 420-kilovolt (kV)
gas-insulated lines installed in 2016, About Hitachi Energy
eliminating 755 kilograms of SF 6. This is Hitachi Energy is a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future
equivalent to taking approximately 100 for all. We serve customers in the utility, industry and infrastructure sectors with innovative
passenger cars off the road. solutions and services across the value chain. Together with customers and partners, we
1
For decades, SF 6 has been used in pioneer technologies and enable the digital transformation required to accelerate the energy
the electrical industry due to its excellent transition towards a carbon-neutral future. We are advancing the world’s energy system to
insulation and current interruption become more sustainable, flexible and secure whilst balancing social, environmental and
properties. However, it has a high Global economic value. Hitachi Energy has a proven track record and unparalleled installed base in
Warming Potential (GWP) and requires more than 140 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland, we employ around 38,000 people in
careful handling. Hitachi Energy is 90 countries and generate business volumes of approximately $10 billion USD.
continuously reducing the use of SF 6,
improving its lifecycle management, and Contacts Rebecca Bleasdale, Hitachi Energy Ltd.
accelerating the development of eco- Phone +41 786432613, rebecca.bleasdale@hitachienergy.com
efficient products. https://www.hitachienergy.com
“We have a responsibility to help https://www.linkedin.com/company/hitachienergy
our customers like National Grid to https://twitter.com/HitachiEnergy
accelerate the energy transition,” said
Markus Heimbach, Managing Director
of High Voltage Products business in
Hitachi Energy. “Innovative EconiQ retrofill
technology for installed gas-insulated lines,
along with the new EconiQ switchgear
and breakers portfolio, will enable our
customers and the industry as a whole
to reduce carbon footprint and rapidly
transition to eco-efficient solutions.”
“Climate change is the greatest
challenge of our time and this new

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