Why does SF6 switchgear still dominate the market?

You may not have heard about it, but there’s a significant opportunity in the fight against climate change coming up. Later this year, the European Commission will review its F-gas Regulation. Reconsidering original 2006 legislation, the commission will decide whether now is the right time to expand the prohibition on the industrial use of SF₆ to include medium voltage switchgear.

We may hear about CO₂ all the time in the context of climate change, but SF₆ has a far higher global warming potential. Just one kilogram of SF₆ released into the atmosphere is equivalent to 23,500 kg of CO₂—making it by far the most potent greenhouse gas. SF₆ sticks around too, staying in the atmosphere for more than 3,200 years. There’s a reason SF₆ is one of only seven greenhouse gases listed in the Kyoto Protocol and the Hazardous Substances Data Bank

SF₆ gas remains a common method for insulating switchgear mainly because it enables efficient and compact solutions. But the good news is that excellent alternatives also exist. Having supplied air-insulated medium voltage systems to more than 3,000 reference sites in over 60 countries, Eaton has proven there’s no real barrier to the market moving to SF₆-free switchgear today.

That’s a key point in the context of the European Commission’s upcoming decision, where legislators will need to “publish a report assessing whether cost-effective, technically feasible, energy-efficient and reliable alternatives exist, which make the replacement of fluorinated greenhouse gases possible in new medium voltage secondary switchgear”. As Eaton ships its one-millionth SF₆-free panel, I think it’s hard to argue that such suitable alternatives aren’t now available

With the switchgear market forecast to grow over 8% per year until 2022, SF₆ will only continue to rise in significance as a driver of global warming. The EU is already urging member states to reduce CO₂ emissions by 55% as of 2030—but it’s just as imperative to move to alternative, more sustainable solutions in the medium voltage switchgear market.

So, why isn’t the market changing on its own? Fundamentally, it’s not a technical or financial problem, it’s just that change takes time and effort. Currently even best practices are self-imposed and not widespread due to scant legal requirements covering SF₆ emissions.

I believe it’s vital to implement this as quickly as possible. Switchgear purchased today is likely to be in use for several decades before it’s replaced. As such, leaving this technology on the market locks in many more years of additional SF₆ leakage and its environmental consequences. Although the EU is, of course, just one part of the global economy, we have seen before that its decisions can have a significant impact on worldwide policy.

There’s no reason that all switchgear can’t be SF₆-free in the future. And, if the market won’t change on its own, I fully support updated EU legislation to help drive this important transformation.