Global power T&D leaders issue joint statement on climate-neutral power grids
- November 12, 2021
Leading power T&D equipment makers including Siemens, Toshiba, Mitsubishi Electric, among others, have issued a joint statement on moving towards power T&D equipment that is free of fluorinated gases, with the ultimate aim of achieving sustainable, climate-neutral power grids.
The following is the text of the statement:
“The recently published 6th Inter governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report shows the seriousness of the climate crisis. Human activity is changing the climate in unprecedented and sometimes irreversible ways. The electrical transmission and distribution (T&D) industry has an opportunity to lead society’s response to deliver infrastructures that are targeting climate-neutral objective to under pin the transition to net zero emission economies.
The clean transport to flow-carbon electricity is an essential element of national decarbonization plans, which will under pin the sustainable economies of the future. In conjunction with decarbonized power generation using renewable energy sources, it is vital to do the same for T&D power grids upon which the system relies.
For over 50 years, the recognized insulation and switching performance as well as proven and stable characteristics of SF6 have contributed to the reliability, efficiency, and resilience of power network facilities, enabling compact equipment for all voltage classes. However, because SF6 has a global warming potential over 25,000 times greater than CO2, action is now required to achieve truly sustainable power grids. To enable this change, we need to limit the SF6 emissions and install new electrical equipment using clean reliable and non-toxic alternatives.
As equipment manufacturers, we embrace our responsibility to society and are fully committed to the net zero goal. Each of the under signed has already developed or is in the process of developing T&D equipment completely free of fluorinated gases. The phase-out of fluorinated and PFAS-gases (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in electrical T&D equipment, where alternatives are available, would accelerate progress toward a more sustainable future.
Each of the under signed is committed to delivering T&D equipment free of fluorinated-gas and PFAS-gas needed to enable this transition. The first F-gas free products are successfully in operation, and each of the signing companies is committed to close the remaining portfolio gaps in the upcoming years in order to deliver on science-based net zero targets (SBTI) that companies are setting. These products will help deliver our own company health and climate commitments while enabling environmental improvements.
You are welcome to join in delivering this ambition and building truly sustainable clean power grids for a climate-neutral future.
The undersigned will continue to develop, manufacture, sell, and service independently. This statement shall in no way create any joint responsibility or liability or any form of cooperation or joint venture.”
Also read: NTPC, EDF To Cooperate In Global Power Project Development
The joint statement has the following signatories, appearing in alphabetical order of the companies represented.
- Soo Hwang, President & CEO, ILJIN Electric Co Ltd
- Nobuaki Tamaki, Director & Senior Managing Executive Officer, Meidensha Corporation
- Masanori Osumi, General Manager, Switchgear Department, T&D Systems Center, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
- John Paserba, Vice President, Power Systems Group, Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc
- Dr Fabian Lemke, Co-founder & CEO, Nuventura GmbH
- Melton Chang, Senior Vice President – Medium Voltage LoB, Schneider Electric
- Stephan May, CEO of Distribution Systems at Siemens Smart Infrastructure, Siemens AG
- Dr Ulf Katschinski, Senior Vice President, Transmission Switching Products & Systems, Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co KG
- Koji Saito, Vice President, Director – Grid Aggregation Division, Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation
(Featured photograph showing an F-gas free switchgear from Siemens is for representation only)