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The carbon news platform Carbon Pulse has published yesterday an article covering COP29 panels and discussions as well as expert opinions on the potential of climate finance and carbon crediting to help reduce emissions from SF6 in electrical grids.
Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) - is a very dense gas commonly used as insulator in power grid such as high-voltage transmission switchgears (Gas Insulated Switchgears - "GIS").
SF6 has great technical qualities, but can also be very harmful for the environment. The Global Warming Potential (GWP) of SF6 is 25,200 times the one of Co2 and can stay in the atmosphere for up to 3,200 years, unlike Co2 which is part of our planet's carbon cycle.
This is why it is crucial to act and limit its fugitive emissions.
Especially with ageing electrical infrastructure such as switchgears, gas leakage can occur and are often hard to detect and resolve.
Besides, mis-handling during maintenance and repairs or inefficient recovery at equipment decomissioning can also lead to SF6 emissions.
As we shared with Carbon Pulse, 80% of worldwide SF6 is in high-voltage, gas-insulated switchgears, which are critical electrical equipment for high-voltage transmission in our grids and large industrial sites.
The total estimated stock of SF6 range from 100-200,000 tonnes globally, which represents a potential of 2.3-4.6 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
This is as of 2020, but you need to add the fact that electricity generation will quadruple until 2050.
Not all the SF6 stock will be leaked, but the numbers give you an idea of the scale of the issue and that real potential for avoided emissions crediting exist.
The following graph was presents an overview on emission forecasts and atmospheric concentration of SF6.
Two SF6-related events took place during COP29, one by Planet2050 on the Digital Innovation Pavilion where Lucas Zaehringer explained more about the challenges related to SF6 emissions and our ongoing initiative leveraging digital traceability and IoT.
The other one on day 6 at the IETA Pavilion by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany (BMWK) and Perspectives Climate Group.
The German government is interested to develop a global strategy and policy engagement for SF6, the most potent greenhouse gas which so far has received little attention in international climate protection.
The project is running with the support of the german agency GIZ and Perspectives Climate, among others, and has received financing from the International Climate Initiative (IKI).
Axel Michaelowa, senior founding partner at Perspectives Climate highlighted that international public climate finance can provide technical assistance and capacity building, both for the installation and maintenance of new, SF6-free switchgear as well as for creating conducive regulatory frameworks.
He also emphasized the possible role of carbon crediting schemes as a way to mobilize the private sector. Demand for SF6-related carbon credits would come from governments which need to reach their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) within the Paris Agreement, covering their SF6 emissions; or airlines obligated to offset emissions within the CORSIA scheme.
Planet2050 and MasterGrid have announced a strategic partnership in August 2024 at the leading CIGRE congress in Paris, gathering technical experts working on grid technologies.
Planet2050 is bringing its expertise in carbon markets and digital tracking technologies, while leveraging the 100+ years of experience of MasterGrid dealing with grid infrastructure globally, manufacturing and maintenance of high-voltage Gas Insulated Switchgears.
SF6 mitigation solutions exist today, especially regarding capacity building to reduce mishandling, leakage detection and reduction, sealing and repairs. For these we could see the first projects registered in 2025 already.
Planet2050 is preparing for initial pilot projects in 2025 and invites grid operators, maintenance specialists and service providers to engage in the initiative.
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You can read more in Carbon Pulse's article https://carbon-pulse.com/350606 and subscribe to Planet2050'S newsletter here.
