Schneider Electric Case Studies Pacific Islands chart a green course with SF6-free technology

	Pacific Islands chart a green course with SF6-free technology Schneider Electric

Pacific Islands chart a green course with SF6-free technology

Schneider Electric

Technology Category	Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Connectivity Platforms
Applicable Industries	Utilities
Applicable Functions	Logistics & Transportation Maintenance
Use Cases	Energy Management System Predictive Maintenance Remote Asset Management
Services	Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services System Integration
Challenge	EEC Engie, an electric distribution utility based in New Caledonia, has a zero-carbon strategy. The company wants to remove the SF6 gas from its network. The remote island location presents difficult and unique challenges for EEC Engie. New Caledonia is halfway around the world from Engie’s French operations base. This means that EEC Engie not only needs to manage the purchasing part of its business, but also logistics and the complexity of transportation -- all of which must be taken into account in order to be efficient. Recycling SF6 is also complicated in New Caledonia because the island does not currently have channels for reprocessing SF6. The medium has been used in electrical equipment for decades. While it is very effective for insulating and breaking, it is also harmful to the environment because it is a potent greenhouse gas. Read More
About Customer	EEC Engie has been providing energy to the Caledonian territory for over 90 years, including to several municipalities in the Pacific islands of New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands. The electrical distribution operator, a subsidy of the French multinational electric utility Engie Group, has more than 65,000 customers, from private customers, SMEs, and SMIs, to industrial companies. The Engie Group has long been committed to promoting sustainable development and offering zero-carbon integrated solutions. Island nations are one of the first areas to be affected by climate change. This makes reducing the use of traditional CO2-emitting energy sources and focusing on local, renewable energy sources particularly important for helping to improve the island’s selfsufficiency while also meeting local demand. Read More
Solution	The electrical distribution operator partnered with Schneider Electric to deploy an SF6-free sustainable solution that delivers improved reliability. The answer was an innovative, green, and smart substation: new air-insulated AirSeT MV switchgear and the new connected Minera transformer that uses biodegradable vegetable oil -- both connected to the Easergy T300 remote terminal unit. Schneider Electric offered a more ecological and intelligent substation. Located in Nouméa, the capital of New Caledonia, the green EcoStruxure-ready substation uses innovative new SF6-free MV switchgear technology combined with a connected new generation transformer. The equipment is capable of exchanging data with EEC Engie’s energy management control system, an essential element for deploying the smart grid – all with a minimal ecological footprint. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems

Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Connectivity Platforms

Applicable Industries

Utilities

Applicable Functions

Logistics & Transportation

Maintenance

Use Cases

Energy Management System

Predictive Maintenance

Remote Asset Management

Services

Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services

System Integration

Challenge

EEC Engie, an electric distribution utility based in New Caledonia, has a zero-carbon strategy. The company wants to remove the SF6 gas from its network. The remote island location presents difficult and unique challenges for EEC Engie. New Caledonia is halfway around the world from Engie’s French operations base. This means that EEC Engie not only needs to manage the purchasing part of its business, but also logistics and the complexity of transportation -- all of which must be taken into account in order to be efficient. Recycling SF6 is also complicated in New Caledonia because the island does not currently have channels for reprocessing SF6. The medium has been used in electrical equipment for decades. While it is very effective for insulating and breaking, it is also harmful to the environment because it is a potent greenhouse gas.

About Customer

EEC Engie has been providing energy to the Caledonian territory for over 90 years, including to several municipalities in the Pacific islands of New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands. The electrical distribution operator, a subsidy of the French multinational electric utility Engie Group, has more than 65,000 customers, from private customers, SMEs, and SMIs, to industrial companies. The Engie Group has long been committed to promoting sustainable development and offering zero-carbon integrated solutions. Island nations are one of the first areas to be affected by climate change. This makes reducing the use of traditional CO2-emitting energy sources and focusing on local, renewable energy sources particularly important for helping to improve the island’s selfsufficiency while also meeting local demand.

Solution

The electrical distribution operator partnered with Schneider Electric to deploy an SF6-free sustainable solution that delivers improved reliability. The answer was an innovative, green, and smart substation: new air-insulated AirSeT MV switchgear and the new connected Minera transformer that uses biodegradable vegetable oil -- both connected to the Easergy T300 remote terminal unit. Schneider Electric offered a more ecological and intelligent substation. Located in Nouméa, the capital of New Caledonia, the green EcoStruxure-ready substation uses innovative new SF6-free MV switchgear technology combined with a connected new generation transformer. The equipment is capable of exchanging data with EEC Engie’s energy management control system, an essential element for deploying the smart grid – all with a minimal ecological footprint.

Impact #1	An easy-to-use, fully green and digital solution eliminated the use of SF6 in EEC Engie’s MV switchgear and improved service continuity, cybersecurity, and reliability.
Impact #2	The Schneider Electric digital solution allows EEC Engie to remotely monitor the substation for better service continuity for the inhabitants of Nouméa, which is an important goal because it is one of the major indicators with a permanent objective of improvement.
Impact #3	The Easergy TH110 wireless thermal sensors installed in the kiosk provide 24/7 monitoring of the equipment via ZigBee communication. Signal issues that may arise during operations would normally only be identified during maintenance, such as problems from equipment, climate, or temperatures. This feedback is provided to technicians on a mobile device for faster intervention.

Impact #1

An easy-to-use, fully green and digital solution eliminated the use of SF6 in EEC Engie’s MV switchgear and improved service continuity, cybersecurity, and reliability.

Impact #2

The Schneider Electric digital solution allows EEC Engie to remotely monitor the substation for better service continuity for the inhabitants of Nouméa, which is an important goal because it is one of the major indicators with a permanent objective of improvement.

Impact #3

The Easergy TH110 wireless thermal sensors installed in the kiosk provide 24/7 monitoring of the equipment via ZigBee communication. Signal issues that may arise during operations would normally only be identified during maintenance, such as problems from equipment, climate, or temperatures. This feedback is provided to technicians on a mobile device for faster intervention.

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Overview

Pacific Islands chart a green course with SF6-free technology

Operational Impact