Industry Scan of non-SF6 Gas-Insulated Technologies

Summary

This report scans the industry adoption and manufacturing capability of non-SF6 gas-insulated technologies in the United States, driven by the fact that SF6 is a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 23,000 times that of CO2. While the global insulated switchgear market was valued at $23.7 billion in 2023, with $7.5 billion being SF6-free, the non-SF6 market is projected to grow at 7.2% annually, compared to 6.7% for SF6, reaching $12 billion by 2030. U.S. utilities like PG&E are adopting these alternatives due to regulations requiring SF6 leak rates below 1% and the high cost of fixing leaks (averaging $25,000). Current non-SF6 technologies are available up to 450 kV, with 550 kV options planned by late 2024, but 765 kV systems still lack alternatives. Manufacturers are seeing orders increase from dozens to hundreds, leading to lead times of 1-3 years for new equipment.

Key Facts

Source Document

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