Vacuum/air switchgear technologies ‘will be able to completely replace SF6’

That’s the suggestion from Frederic Godemel, Executive Vice President Power Systems at Schneider Electric, who spoke to ELN at the firm’s Innovation Summit 2019 in Barcelona

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Innovative vacuum/air switchgear technologies will be able to completely replace sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) from the world’s electrical systems.

That’s the suggestion from Frederic Godemel, Executive Vice President Power Systems at Schneider Electric, who spoke to ELN at the firm’s Innovation Summit 2019 in Barcelona – he said new, clean technologies would be able to perform the same function as the insulating gas, without the potential climate implications.

SF6, which is used in the electrical industry to break currents, prevent short circuits and avoid electrical accidents, is said to have the highest global warming potential of any known substance.

Scientists say it is 23,500 times more potent than carbon dioxide and can last in the atmosphere for up to 1,000 years, significantly contributing to the global climate crisis.

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