GE Renewable Energy’s Grid Solutions business announced it is showcasing its F35-145 kV gas-insulated substation at Elfack in Göteborg, the Nordic’s largest annual trade fair for the electricity and power industry. The substation operates with Green Gas for Grid, or g3 , GE’s groundbreaking gas alternative to the sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) insulating gas used in high-voltage electrical transmission equipment.
GE’s g3 products feature the same ratings and same dimensional footprint as state-of-the-art SF6 equipment, with a drastically-reduced environmental impact: more than 99% less gas global warming potential (GWP), comparatively. Also, g3 products operate with no restriction under the same temperature range as SF6 products (down to -30°C).
Environmental life cycle assessments (LCA) on the overall environmental performance of g3 products compared with SF6 products have shown the use of g3 allows utilities to greatly reduce CO2 emissions from their HV switchgear. In addition, with product dimensions remaining the same, there is no pollution transfer induced on any other environmental indicators.
“GE is meeting the growing need for environmentally-friendly, high-voltage transmission infrastructure by developing new products that improve environmental impact without sacrificing system performance. At Elfack this week, GE is spotlighting a combination of g3 and digital solutions— the F35-145 kV gas-insulated substation. Operated with g3, it helps reduce the environmental impact. Embedding all-digital solutions, it can be digitally monitored, automated, and controlled, maximizing the potential of digital technologies,” said Dirk Uhde, Executive Product Manager at GE Renewable Energy’s Grid Solutions business.
GE has g3 initiatives under way around the world, supporting transmission utilities with their commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These include 19 sites from 16 different utilities. Altogether, these projects will reduce the GWP of the installed gas masses by more than 99% while avoiding the installation of approximately 385,000 tons of CO2 (equivalent CO2e) on the grid.
Key g3 projects include:
- National Grid, United Kingdom1: Recognized as having the world’s first 420 kV g3 gas-insulated line. The 230 meter-long, g3 gas-insulated line (GIL) was commissioned in 2017.
- Axpo Grid, Switzerland1: Hosts the world’s first full g3 gas-insulated substations energized in 2018. The F35-110 kV-g3-GIS features the same footprint and same ratings as the state-of-the-art SF6 equipment.
- SSEN, Scotland2: GE is installing the world’s largest g3 gas mass in Scotland. Two substations will include HV g3 equipment that will avoid the installation of approximately 200,000 tons of CO2e.
- SP Energy Networks, Scotland1: Two projects, including a 177-meter-long g3-GIL and 16 bays of 145kV g3-GIS, will prevent the installation of approximately 55,000 tons of greenhouse gas on the Scottish Grid.
- TenneT, Germany1: The first g3-insulated 245 kV current transformers ever installed were energized in Germany in 2017.
GE’s g3 is fully type-tested and available for gas-insulated substations (GIS) up to 145 kV, gas-insulated lines (GIL) up to 420 kV and air-insulated substations (AIS) instrument transformers up to 245 kV.
