GE Renewable Energy's Grid Solutions business announced plans to invest tens of millions of dollars to expand its range of sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆)-free high-voltage substation equipment to include all key high-voltage levels by 2025.

This is one of Grid Solution's biggest portfolio investments in years and will support customers in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the company said in the press release.

Due to its strong insulating properties, SF₆ is widely used in substation equipment such as switchgear and instrument transformers, with the transmission industry accounting for approximately 80% of the world's usage. However, this potent greenhouse gas is estimated to contribute 23,500 times more emissions than COâ‚‚ in the event of a leakage and can remain in the atmosphere for up to 3,200 years.

By 2025, GE's Grid Solutions will offer SF₆-free instrument transformers up to 420 kV, gas-insulated substations up to 420 kV, and dead tank and live tank circuit breakers up to 550 kV.

Currently, GE's g³ products are type-tested and available for live tank circuit breakers and gas-insulated substations up to 145 kV, gas-insulated lines (GIL) up to 420 kV and instrument transformers up to 245 kV.

Source: GE Grid Solutions