SF6 gas

SUSTAINABILITY / MANUFACTURING

SF6 gas

A type of greenhouse gas

OVERVIEW

A potent greenhouse gas

SF6 is a type of greenhouse gas with a global warming potential (GWP) of 22,800 times greater than CO2 the first 100 years and an atmospheric lifetime of 2,300 years - making SF6 gas the most climate-damaging greenhouse gas regulated under the Kyoto Protocol.

With a high ability to trap infrared radiation in addition to a high atmospheric stability SF6 gas is far more potent in the long run at warming the earth’s atmosphere than CO2. 

Therefore, 1 kg of SF6 gas emitted into the atmosphere is equal to almost 23,5 tonnes CO2 eq

GLOBAL USAGE & EMISSIONS

Testing of cables and joints

SF6 gas also called sulfur hexafluoride is an inorganic, colorless, odorless, non-flammable and non-toxic gas.

It possesses a high dielectric strength, which increases further under pressure, making it excellent to use as an electrical insulator.

Prysmian Group uses SF6 gas in connection with testing of MV and HV cables and accessories and it represents:
 

  • 10-15% of the group's total CO2 emissions in 2021 - equivalent to 100,000 tonnes of CO2 eq.emissions
     
  • from 2019 to 2022 the group's global CO2-eq.emissions from SF6-gas was reduced by -47,2% 

SUSTAINABLE

Alternatives & target

Instead of using SF6 gas, selected Prysmian factories already in 2021 began testing possible alternatives using synthetic gas, water or dry air that is harmless to the environment.

The results show that these alternatives can be successfully used as a replacement for SF6 gas for testing of both MV, HV and EVH cables and accessories.

Prysmian Group has therefore set out a detailed roadmap for phasing out SF6 gas for all of its 112 factories – with a global target of obtaining:

  • reduction of -98% CO2 emissions from SF6 by 2026 (baseline year 2019)

USAGE AND EMISSIONS

North Europe

In Prysmian North Europe region following factories use/used SF6 gas for activities such as:

  • Delft in the Netherlands for testing EHV accessories
  • Pikkala in Finland for testing submarine cable joints
  • Drammen in Norway for testing MV submarine cable joints


In 2021, these factories together used 37.1 kg of SF6 gas, equivalent to 846 tonnes of CO2-eq. emissions - which represents less than 1% of the group's total CO2-emissions from SF6 gas.

  • Delft - 36 kg SF6 gas
  • Pikkala - 0,1 kg SF6-gas
  • Drammen - 1 kg SF6-gas

 

In 2022, these factories together used 40.8 kg of SF6 gas, equivalent to 930 tonnes of CO2-eq. emission as follows:

  • Delft - 40.8 kg SF6 gas
  • Pikkala - 0 kg SF6-gas
  • Drammen - 0 kg SF6 gas (back-up only)

TWO YEARS AHEAD

North Europe leads

Water termination as a standard method has already been implemented in Sweden and Norway. In 2023 alternatives to SF6 testing will be industrialized and implemented in all factories in North Europe – after which SF6 gas will only be stored and used as a backup method, if at all.

Prysmian North Europe has already reduced its consumption of SF6 gas by 531 kg, equivalent to 12.106 tons CO2 emissions over a 6-year period (from 568 kg in 2016 to 37.1 kg in 2021), representing a reduction of -93.5% – and by end of 2024, the reduction will reach 98%. 

The region is therefore, leading the efforts in outphasing SF6 by nearly 2 years ahead of the global reduction target set for 2026.