GE Renewable Energy and Hitachi ABB Power Grids Strike Deal to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Electric Transmission Industry

GE Renewable Energy Promises That New SF6-Based Mixture Will Accelerate The Process Of Reducing Pollutant Gases In The Electricity Industry

GE Renewable Energy Grid Solutions and Hitachi ABB Power Grids have signed a non-exclusive cross-licensing agreement related to the use of an alternative gas to sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6) used in high-voltage equipment in the electricity industry for reducing greenhouse gases. This alternative gas mixture based on fluoronitrile has a significantly reduced impact on the environment compared to SF 6. Under this historic agreement, both companies will share complementary intellectual property related to their respective SF 6-free solutions. The change is expected to help accelerate the use of eco-efficient insulation based on fluoronitrile and switching gas in high-voltage equipment as an alternative to SF 6.

Read Also

• Shell Brazil Arrives In Macaé With Two More Companies And Wins The Thermoelectric Contract
• Multinational ABB Opens Job Vacancies For The Areas Of Logistics, Process, Operation, Import, And More
• Multinational ABB Seeks Analysts, Engineer, Field Technical Inspector, Assistant, And Much More For São Paulo
• Giant ABB Hires Engineer, Technical Inspector, Logistics Analyst, Manager, And More
• Multinational ABB Has 20 Job Opportunities In Brazil And More Than 1,700 Vacancies Worldwide

A recent report from the EU Commission concluded that gas mixtures based on fluoronitrile may be the only alternative for insulation and gas exchange to SF 6 when space is a constraint.

This historic agreement paves the way for an SF 6-free standard solution for high-voltage equipment in the coming years. This would allow utilities and industries to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions while facilitating their ability to plan, operate, and maintain their networks thanks to standardized services and the use of the same auxiliary equipment, the company reported in a statement.

“We Want To Reduce The Carbon Footprint,” Said The Director Of Hitachi ABB Power Grids

Commenting on the development, Markus Heimbach, Managing Director of the High Voltage Products business at Hitachi ABB Power Grids, said, “As a technology leader, we have always been at the forefront of gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) that has become a key enabler for urbanization and installed the first GIS without SF 6 that significantly reduces the carbon footprint.

GE Renewable Energy Was A Pioneer In The Use Of Fluoronitrile-Based Gas

“GE was a pioneer in this fluoronitrile-based gas, which we call g 3, and later developed a comprehensive line of SF 6-free products. Our g 3 SF 6-free products have been commercially available since 2015 and have the same compactness and performance as traditional SF 6 equipment,” said Heiner Markhoff, CEO of GE’s Grid Solutions.

For almost half a century, SF 6 gas has been the standard in the electricity transmission and distribution industry due to its unique physical properties. However, it is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming if leaked. For this reason, Hitachi ABB Power Grids and GE have been investing in developing better alternatives to SF 6.