Siemens unveils eco-friendly Blue GIS Switchgear for Sustainable Power Grids

Home
Industry News
Siemens unveils eco-friendly Blue GIS Switchgear for Sustainable Power Grids

Siemens unveils eco-friendly Blue GIS Switchgear for Sustainable Power Grids

Industry News
Nov 09,23

The newly introduced F-gas-free blue GIS primary switchgear facilitates an early shift towards eco-friendly grids, anticipating upcoming regulations.

Siemens unveils eco-friendly Blue GIS Switchgear for Sustainable Power Grids

Siemens Smart Infrastructure has expanded its lineup of sustainable and SF6 gas-free digital primary switchgear to support the decarbonisation of modern power grids. The newly introduced F-gas-free blue GIS primary switchgear facilitates an early shift towards eco-friendly grids, anticipating upcoming regulations.

With a focus on industrialised and high-end ratings reaching up to 24kV and 2500A, Siemens has introduced the 8DAB 24 and enhanced the NXPLUS C 24 models. The 8DAB 24, featuring both single and double busbar designs, supports ratings up to 24kV, 40kA, and 2500A. It is built on a proven single pole encapsulated design with a global installed base exceeding 150,000 panels, ensuring high reliability, operational safety, and compact dimensions. Designed with the Robust Eco Design concept, the 8DAB 24 minimises the carbon footprint from production to end-of-life, making it an optimal choice for a sustainable energy transition.

Siemens has also made significant improvements to the NXPLUS C 24 medium-voltage switchgear, launched successfully in May 2020. This maintenance-free model enables innovative and cost-effective operations through digital protection, control devices, and integrated sensors. Continuous development has empowered the NXPLUS C 24 to facilitate the distribution of climate-neutral energy up to 2000A, allowing flexible extensions within the NXPLUS C family. Siemens now offers a comprehensive range of medium-voltage applications for primary distribution, with plans to further enhance the portfolio by introducing higher ratings and customer-specific features in the coming years.

Siemens' blue GIS portfolio plays a pivotal role in transitioning electrical grids to environmentally friendly networks. Utilising Clean Air, a natural-origin gas, and Siemens' proven vacuum-interrupter technology, the blue GIS switchgear is free of fluorinated and PFAS gases and boasts a global warming potential (GWP) below 1. This combination significantly reduces the carbon footprint for customers.

According to Stephan May, CEO of Electrification and Automation at Siemens Smart Infrastructure, "Our blue GIS range empowers our customers to create a more sustainable future. Intelligent and sustainable products, designed to be future-proof, are essential for utilities and industries striving to decarbonise and digitalise grids, meeting ambitious targets and sustainability goals ahead of regulations. Our 8DAB 24 and NXPLUS C 24 blue GIS systems offer precisely that, building on technology with over 40 years of proven reliability."

The blue GIS switchgear incorporates software from Siemens Xcelerator, an open digital business platform facilitating customers' digital transformation at scale and with greater ease. Integrated smart sensors provide asset transparency, while cloud-based analysis methods enable efficient predictive maintenance support, reducing downtime and maintenance costs.

In March 2023, Siemens announced a EUR 30 million investment in its Frankfurt-Fechenheim site in Germany, where blue GIS technology is developed, tested, and manufactured. The investment includes a new fully automated warehouse and a 1,200 square meter production area, enabling the company to meet the rising demand for environmentally friendly medium-voltage switchgear. The factory operates entirely on green electricity, boasts a significantly reduced waste-to-landfill rate, and employs a sustainable packaging process, aligning with Siemens' efforts to minimise its manufacturing carbon footprint.

Source: switchgearcontent.com