PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is rated as the worst-performing gas in term of global warming potential a measure for comparing the global warming impacts of different gases. Each tonne of SF6 is equivalent to 23 894 tonnes of CO2. But thanks to its high energy performance levels, SF6 has been used since the 1960s in medium voltage electrical equipment.
SF6 is therefore a clearly identified environmental threat. It has been targetedby EU regulation 517/2014 on fluorinated greenhouse gases which includes a so-called phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) by 80% by 2030. An additional agreement was also reached in 2016 under the Montreal Protocol (the Kigali Amendment) to reduce gradually HFCs globally. Up to now, however, regulators have been unable to tackle the problem of other fluorocarbon gases (FCG) because there is a lack of recognised alternatives.
OBJECTIVES
LIFESF6FREE will give EU regulators the necessary proof of concept for the 2023 proposal on SF6 and on broader fluorinated gases regulation, as an update to the existing EU regulation on fluorinated greenhouse gases. It will demonstrate that SF6 can be replaced by an effective, robust and affordable solution for medium voltage applications.
The projects proposed solution is to combine dry air or HFO1234zeE (also known as HFO), depending on voltage, with an innovative breaking device. The project will run prototypes at various sites in real conditions in order to validate that dry air and HFO are safe and reliable alternatives to SF6.
RESULTS
Expected results: The LIFESF6FREE project expects to have:
