Cleaning up mobility with green electric technology

Schneider Electric is supplying Renault Group with SF6-free AirSeT equipment – an innovative solution eliminating the greenhouse gas SF6 from its medium-voltage switchgear at the Flins Refactory in France.

Renault Group’s goal is to achieve a negative carbon balance at Refactory by 2030 and to become fully carbon neutral in Europe by 2040. To meet this target, the group is deploying innovative solutions to eliminate SF6 from its medium-voltage switchgear at the Flins factory using Schneider Electric’s SM AirSeT MV switchgear. This sustainable MV equipment uses pure air and vacuum interruption technology instead of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).

SF6 is commonly used in electric distribution equipment, but it is 25,200 times stronger than carbon dioxide (CO2) when it comes to global warming potential (GWP). SF6 is increasingly becoming the subject of climate-focused regulations and efforts.

Eliminating SF6 and replacing it with pure air offers the immediate benefit of removing a potent greenhouse gas from the equation, but it also simplifies the installation, dismantling, and recycling of equipment while limiting costs. SM AirSeT’s reinforced design is used in combination with digital features to extend the switchgear’s operational life by over 30%.

The solution’s connected, digital capabilities also address Refactory’s wider concerns of cyber security, power reliability and maintenance.

AirSeT provides a solution for these three issues. The MV switchgear is cyber-secure and has integrated smart sensors that bring 24/7 connectivity. This allows Renault Group to remotely monitor the Refactory’s MV switchgear operations for condition-based maintenance and increased safety. The sensors’ data is fed to Refactory’s local field tools/apps and to sophisticated analytics tools such as those offered by Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure architecture and platform.

The full range of digitally native features unlocks the value of data for optimised operations and maintenance.

“Green energy is about much more than renewable energy generation and efficient energy consumption”

AirSeT technology is designed for secondary electrical distribution markets, such as industrial and commercial building applications and utilities. These sectors are increasingly challenged to reduce their environmental footprint in a bid to support climate action and speed up energy transition.

“In the fight against climate change, moving away from F-gases is imperative to accelerate decarbonisation,” comments Frederic Godemel, Executive Vice President of Power Systems at Schneider Electric. “Green energy is about much more than renewable energy generation and efficient energy consumption. SM AirSeT fits in the crucial space in between, where significant environmental improvements are to be made.”

Schneider Electric’s SM AirSeT has been successfully piloted at numerous electric utilities, infrastructure and buildings, by customers such as GreenAlp in France, EEC Engie in New Caledonia, and Azienda Trasporti Milanesi in Italy.

Schneider Electric, se.com

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