Rome, ITALY – The first Eco-design High Voltage/Medium Voltage low loss transformer is insulated with natural ester, a totally biodegradable vegetable oil.

Enel Grids has announced that through their collaboration with Hitachi Energy, they have successfully completed the development of their first Eco-design High Voltage/Medium Voltage (HV/MV) low loss transformer. According to the company, the joint work with Hitachi Energy teams has led to the approval of a transformer with a nominal power rating of 40 MVA, an innovative technological solution with the aim of gradually reducing the infrastructure's indirect emissions to zero. This new eco-friendly transformer is insulated with natural ester, a completely biodegradable vegetable oil, and generates reduced CO₂ emissions.

According to Enel Grids, the use of natural ester as an insulator instead of traditional mineral oil should result in a significantly reduced carbon footprint, from production to disposal. This natural dielectric liquid should also have better fire resistance qualities than mineral oil, and therefore also offer important advantages from the point of view of fire prevention.

According to the company, the development and implementation of the project took place at the Hitachi Energy plant in Monselice, in the province of Padua, Italy, while the actual commissioning of the transformer should take place at the Primary Substation in Caltagirone, in the province of Catania.

Source: Enel