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Press Release22 November 2021Siemens EnergyBerlin
New production facility in Berlin: Siemens Energy wants to eliminate the world’s most potent greenhouse gas from power transmission
In Germany alone, tens of thousands of switchgear ensure that electricity reaches consumers reliably every day. They’re responsible for power distribution in places like substations and wind turbines. The problem is that fluorinated gases (F-gases) are usually used for insulation and as the switching medium in these systems, especially sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), the most potent greenhouse gas in the world. One kilogram of SF6 is equivalent to 25,200 kilograms of CO2 in terms of its climate-damaging effects, and it remains in the atmosphere for about 3,200 years when emitted.
“The consequences of rapidly advancing global warming require a fundamental change in the way we deal with energy, including power transmission,” said Ulf Katschinski, Senior Vice President Switching Products and Systems at Siemens Energy. “Siemens Energy aims to sell only F-gas-free high-voltage switching technology starting in 2030 at the latest. With our new vacuum interrupter production, we’re laying the groundwork to achieve this goal and meet the growing demand for climate-neutral switchgear.”
Christian Rickerts, State Secretary of the
Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises: "The
production of vacuum interrupters in Siemensstadt is a clear commitment to
Berlin as an industrial location, to the energy transition and to climate
protection. Siemens Energy is demonstrating in Berlin how climate-friendly and
sustainable transformation of conventional technology can work."
The European Commission is currently working
on the revision of the regulation on fluorinated greenhouse gases, which is
expected to significantly restrict the use of new SF6-insulated
equipment. And climate-neutral alternatives with a global warming potential of
zero already exist: The vacuum interrupters that will be manufactured in Berlin
in the future will be used in the switchgear in Siemens Energy’s Blue
Portfolio. The Blue Portfolio already includes high-voltage switching products
up to a voltage level of 170 kilovolts (kV); Siemens Energy is working to further
develop them for a voltage level up to 400 kV. Instead of using F-gases, all
switchgear in the Blue Portfolio use vacuum interrupters and industrially
purified air made from natural oxygen and nitrogen.
The new production facility will comply
with the latest Industry 4.0 standards: It will therefore be fully digitally
connected and have highly automated equipment. Like the entire Siemens Energy
switchgear plant in Berlin, the new production facility will be powered 100
percent by electricity from renewable sources.
Ulf Katschinski, Senior Vice President Switching Products and Systems at Siemens Energy, Helmut Kleebank, member of the German Bundestag, Christian Rickerts, State Secretary of the Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises, Rüdiger Groß, Chairman of the Works Council of the Siemens Energy switchgear plant Berlin and Stephan Jorra, manager of the Siemens Energy switchgear plan Berlin.
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Siemens Energy is one of the world’s leading energy technology companies. The company works with its customers and partners on energy systems for the future, thus supporting the transition to a more sustainable world. With its portfolio of products, solutions and services, Siemens Energy covers almost the entire energy value chain – from power generation and transmission to storage. The portfolio includes conventional and renewable energy technology, such as gas and steam turbines, hybrid power plants operated with hydrogen, and power generators and transformers. More than 50 percent of the portfolio has already been decarbonized. A majority stake in the listed company Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) makes Siemens Energy a global market leader for renewable energies. An estimated one-sixth of the electricity generated worldwide is based on technologies from Siemens Energy. Siemens Energy employs more than 91,000 people worldwide in more than 90 countries and generated revenue of around €28.5 billion in fiscal year 2021.