There are many key components of the energy transition to a low-carbon-intensive future. We need wind farms, solar panels, hydroelectric power stations and other sources to generate renewable energy. But we also need more environmentally friendly infrastructure to deliver electricity to customers.
Take the high-voltage substation as an example. These ubiquitous devices, which can adjust the voltage up and down so that electricity can be transmitted over long distances and used in homes and businesses, have relied on a high-efficiency insulator called sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) for decades. The problem is that SF6 is one of the most powerful greenhouse gases in the world and can stay in the atmosphere for thousands of years.
A few years ago, GE Renewable Energy developed an alternative to SF6, called g³ insulating gas, which can reduce the heating potential of SF6 by more than 99% while maintaining the same insulation quality. It also allows the substation to maintain the same compact size. This week, the GE division received US$3.7 million in funding from the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E) for two related projects to help accelerate the decarbonization of the US power grid.
The first batch of USD 2.3 million will be used for GE's efforts to develop high-voltage circuit breakers using g³ insulating gas. These circuit breakers are usually installed in substations. They protect the grid and help operators re-route power and avoid power outages in the event of problems. The rest of the award will be used for a project led by GE Research and the University of Connecticut that focuses on the life cycle management of g³ electrical equipment products, including gas leak and by-product detection and capture and monitoring tools.
Isik Kizilyalli, deputy director of ARPA-E technology, said: “SF6 is a more effective greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide and can remain in the atmosphere for up to 3,200 years.” ARPA-E predicts that as countries seek to reduce, regulate or eliminate their power grids SF6 emissions in China, any technology used to replace SF6 may have a significant and widespread impact on the world. "
The g³ gas is the result of more than ten years of research conducted by GE Renewable Energy's grid solutions department in cooperation with 3M. More than 20 utility companies in Europe have chosen GE's g³ equipment.
According to the greenhouse gas inventory data released by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), power companies install an average of 450 tons of SF6 gas in the US power grid through newly manufactured electrical equipment. This means that the installed carbon dioxide equivalent in the country is estimated to be 11.3 million tons. Replacing SF6 gas with GE's g³ technology will significantly reduce carbon dioxide equivalent, which is equivalent to about 2.5 million passenger cars driving on the road during a one-year period.
Image source: GE Grid Solutions
GE-General Electric Company published this content on October 28, 2021, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by the public at 17:22:09, October 28, 2021, UTC time, unedited and unaltered.