Gas Insulated or Air Insulated Switchgear 

By on

Various arguments exist around SF6 Gas Insulated (GIS) and Air Insulated (AIS) switchgear. Recently we had to change a GIS design to AIS due to an instruction from one of  our clients.  His concern is the global warming potential of SF6.   While understanding the clients reasons, I'm not convinced on the argument.

General arguments in favour of GIS include:

  • GIS is more cost effective
  • requires less space (up to 70% less that Air Insulated)
  • is safer in operation
  • has overall lower system loses
  • has higher protection against ambient conditions
  • is more reliable

As far as I can see the main argument against SF6 is that it has a global warming potential.  From an environmental view, the potential of releasing gas which contributes to global warming is obviously bad.  However, to quantify the effect, Capiel (see link below) has carried out some research:

  • GIS switchgear emissions (Europe, 2002) contribute 0.05% to total greenhouse gas emissions
  • measures implemented in switchgear design since 1995 have reduced GIS gas emissions by 40%
  • there is continuing technological progress in further reducing GIS gas emissions

Key Question

I think the key question in all of this is:

  • do the benefits of a safe reliable, cost effective electrical supply networks outweigh the potential SF6 contribution to greenhouse gas emissions ?

My View

The direct contribution of SF6 to greenhouse gas emissions is relatively low and I tend to think the advantages of a reliable electrical system outweigh these negatives.  Lower system loses and less materials required during manufacture reduce the life cycle carbon emissions, potentially offsetting the negative effects of SF6. 

A life cycle analysis of the German distribution system by Capiel (see link below) which considers materials, manufacture, ohmic losses and SF6 emissions shows that overall GIS contributes 30% less to global warming than AIS. Currently the arguments given against GIS don't appear sufficiently thought out and consider only the SF6 emission issue.

Without closing the door on the debate, I don't see enough evidence to force move away from GIS to AIS. 

Related Links



Steven McFadyen's avatar Steven McFadyen

Steven has over twenty five years experience working on some of the largest construction projects. He has a deep technical understanding of electrical engineering and is keen to share this knowledge. About the author

myElectrical Engineering

comments powered by Disqus



Always Use PPE

A lot of our members work in countries where PPE (personal protective equipment) is regulated or they work for companies/organizations which take employee...

Voltage Drop in Installations - Concepts

Problems on achieving maximum voltage drop within an installation come up often. Depending where you live, local regulations will have different limits...

Difference Between Live and Dead Tank Circuit Breakers

A quick post in connection with an email question: Live Tank - the circuit breaker the switching unit is located in an insulator bushing which is live...

Wiki Depreciation

We have had the Wiki with us for a long time now, but at last I have decided to say bye bye – more details on why below.

Why a Sine Wave?

I received this question by email a few weeks. First thoughts was that it is a product of the mathematics of rotating a straight conductor in a magnetic...

IEC 61439 Verification Methods

The (relatively new) switchgear and control gear standard, IEC 61439 'Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies' has three methods which can be...

Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla was born exactly at midnight on July 10, 1856 in the tiny village of Smiljan, Lika in Croatia. In his late teens, Tesla left the village to...

Electromagnetic Fields - Exposure Limits

Exposure to time varying magnetic fields, from power frequencies to the gigahertz range can have harmful consequences.  A lot of research has been conducted...

Lighting Design - An Introduction

From the earliest times, humans have found ways to create light. Pre-historic peoples used natural materials (moss, grass, etc.) soaked in animal fat and...

Back to Basics - Ohm’s Law

Electrical engineering has a multitude of laws and theorems. It is fair to say the Ohm's Law is one of the more widely known; it not the most known. Developed...

Have some knowledge to share

If you have some expert knowledge or experience, why not consider sharing this with our community.  

By writing an electrical note, you will be educating our users and at the same time promoting your expertise within the engineering community.

To get started and understand our policy, you can read our How to Write an Electrical Note