10 Steps to Help Reduce SF{sub}6 Emissions in T&D

摘要

Sulfur hexafluoride (SF{sub}6) is widely used in the electric utility industry for insulating circuit breakers, substations and switchgear in electric power transmission and distribution. Its introduction in the 1950s allowed for the replacement of flammable oils and the use of more compact electrical equipment, particularly in urban areas. Today, according to the Rand Corporation, the industry uses 80 percent of the SF{sub}6 produced worldwide. However, SF{sub}6 is a highly potent greenhouse gas. It has a global warming potential 23,900 times greater than that of CO{sub}2 and an atmospheric life of 3,200 years. As recently as 2002, the industry released 600 metric tons of SF{sub}6 into the atmosphere - the equivalent of 3,103,896 passenger cars driven for a year or the burning of 72,866 railcars of coal.