Schneider Electric and public distribution service company Enedis have announced the joint development of an innovative project for a new generation of medium voltage/low voltage substation equipment. The project will replace traditional solutions using SF6 (sulfur hexafluoride) gas to explore ways of low-carbon development in the power distribution sector.
Schneider Electric and public distribution service company Enedis have announced the joint development of an innovative project for a new generation of medium voltage/low voltage substation equipment. The project will replace traditional solutions using SF6 (sulfur hexafluoride) gas to explore ways of low-carbon development in the power distribution sector.
Schneider Electric and Enedis are long-standing partners in this area of expertise, and the project will be carried out at an Enedis R&D laboratory, which will install two Schneider Electric RM AirSeT environmentally friendly gas insulated ring cabinets to study their application in medium voltage distribution networks. The project is designed to evaluate the performance of the equipment in different electrical configurations over a period of 18 months.
Schneider Electric has developed this innovative solution after more than 10 years of research and development. It uses a new insulation technology based on dry air to provide electrical performance comparable to the current state of the art and to maximize the safety of facilities and personnel. This new range of green medium voltage secondary power distribution equipment offers the dual advantage of being compact and integrating all the interconnection functions needed for efficient energy management.
Frederic Godemel, Executive Vice President of Schneider Electric's Power Systems business, said: "Schneider Electric firmly believes that dry air is the best insulating gas. This green digital product line, free of sulfur hexafluoride, represents the most important technological advance in medium voltage power distribution in more than 40 years. It is imperative for us and our customers to promote environmental protection. The range of innovative technologies we employ today gives us the ability to deliver sustainable solutions while retaining all the performance benefits of legacy equipment using SF6."
Marianne Laigneau, Chair of the Management Board of Enedis, said: "Enedis is committed to reducing its carbon footprint by 20% by 2025. This project helps us accelerate innovation and develop industrial solutions that balance environmental protection and industrial production. We will rely on the power of innovation to explore new technological solutions for the power grids we operate."
