GLASGOW, SCOTLAND — The substation in question plays a significant role in the SP Energy Networks transmission network and is part of the critical infrastructure node for emergency network recovery.

Hitachi Energy have recently announced that they will be supplying SP Energy Networks with their eco-friendly gas-insulated lines (GIL) to support Scotland’s sustainable energy targets to decarbonize its energy system and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to reach net-zero by 2045.

As a part of this journey towards carbon-neutrality, SP Energy Networks is upgrading the country’s aging energy infrastructure and bringing in advanced technologies to better manage the energy flow in the grid.

One such project is the Windyhill 275-kilovolt (kV) substation located northwest of Glasgow. Built in the1960s, the air-insulated substation plays a significant role in the SP Energy Networks transmission network and is part of the critical infrastructure node for emergency network recovery. Now it is scheduled to be modernized and the project is expected to be completed in 2025.

According to Hitachi Energy, they will deliver 1,500 meters of eco-efficient GIL which contains no sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆), instead making use of an alternative insulation gas mixture, which essentially eliminates the CO₂ equivalent emissions throughout the total lifecycle. According to the company, this would be the equivalent of removing CO₂ emissions from around 7,500² passenger vehicles from the road in a year.

"We are honoured to be SP Energy Networks’ partner of choice in the acceleration of Scotland’s energy transition," said Markus Heimbach, Managing Director, High Voltage Products at Hitachi Energy. “Following more than two decades of intensive R&D, we have been deploying SF₆-free high-voltage technologies and helping our customers to reduce their carbon footprint.”

“We’re continuously evolving our operations and looking for ways to make our network more environmentally sustainable. The introduction of this greener technology developed by Hitachi Energy is a major step forward in our push towards achieving Net Zero emissions in the future”, said Pearse Murray, SP Transmission Director at SP Energy Networks. “The eyes of the world are on Glasgow just now with the COP26 climate change conference taking place in the city. Introducing this new technology will have a legacy long beyond COP26 and it cements our position leading the way towards sustainable substations. We’re proud of our innovative approach to delivering a greener future for our customers.”

Additionally, Hitachi Energy have said that they will also be delivering 15 bays of their flexible 300 kV gas-insulated switchgear (GIS), which according to the company, can be installed in confined spaces and can operate in extreme environmental conditions.

Source: Hitachi Energy