SCOTLAND — GE Renewable Energy’s Grid Solutions business has energized Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Transmission’s first g3 gas-insulated substation.

The New Deer substation is expected to facilitate the connection of 900 MW of new renewable energy to the grid from the Moray East Offshore Windfarm.

 Now energized, the substation forms part of SSEN Transmission’s reinforcement and improvement of the transmission network in the North East and East Coast of Scotland, enabling renewable generation to be transported from where it is generated to centers of demand across the country.This represents the world’s largest installation to date of g3 gas, GE’s alternative to SF6, GE said in a press release.

For almost half a century, SF6 gas has been the norm in the electrical power transmission and distribution industry due to its unique physical properties. However, this potent greenhouse gas contributes 23,500 times more emissions than CO₂, when leaked, and can remain in the atmosphere for up to 3,200 years. With the New Deer substation now home to the world’s largest installation of GE’s g3 gas, it is avoiding the equivalent of about 117,128 tons CO₂ to the grid, comparable to more than 55,000 cars off the road for one year.

 “Our substations are vital to enabling the connection of renewable energy to the grid, they play a key role in the race to net zero emissions. That is why it is important that we strive to make sure our new substations are as green as possible by using new technology such as GE’s g3 insulated busbars,“ said Simon Johnstone, SSEN Transmission Project Manager.

“By using these innovations, we are not only reducing the environmental impact on our own network, we are demonstrating to the wider energy industry that there is a viable alternative to SF6 out there, supporting Government net zero targets, including the recently announced interim 78% emission reduction target by 2035," Johnstone added.

Bertrand Portal, GE’s Grid Solutions g³ gas Product Manager, said “We are committed to helping our customers reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. To date, SSEN and 22 other leading electrical utilities in Europe and Asia have adopted GE’s g3 gas-insulated equipment, avoiding the addition of more than a million ton of CO₂ equivalent to the grid.”

Source: GE