Environmental control

e-distribución is committed to the fight against climate change. Regarding Greenhouse Gases (GHG), the following are present in components of the electrical infrastructure:

• Electrical insulating gases, particularly fluorinated gases, in switching and control elements of the grid.
• Refrigerant gases, in very small quantities (mainly in air conditioning systems of large facilities).

The first group mainly refers to SF₆ gas, which has a high global warming potential.

To ensure best practices in controlling SF₆ emissions and leaks into the atmosphere throughout the entire lifecycle of equipment containing this gas, since 2015, e-distribución (through aelec) has adhered to the Voluntary Agreement for the Limitation of Sulfur Hexafluoride Emissions by the Spanish Office for Climate Change, reinforcing the shift toward climate-neutral technologies and promoting SF₆ alternatives.
More information here (in Spanish)

This Agreement, in addition to contributing necessary data for the annual update of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, encourages the following actions among its signatories:

• Equipment manufacturers: Share initiatives and adopt best practices to reduce emissions throughout the equipment lifecycle and design switchgear with lower natural leakage rates.
• Electric utilities: Develop best practices in the operation and maintenance of such equipment to minimize gas leak risks.
• Waste managers: Ensure proper and maximum extraction, transport, and treatment of SF₆ to promote its reuse over virgin gas.

Additionally, the Voluntary Agreement promotes research lines for the development of technological R&D&I projects.

e-distribución is also committed to and actively contributes to this process of developing and piloting alternative technologies to SF₆, with a view toward compliance with the EU Regulation that foresees a progressive ban on the use of SF₆ in new infrastructure in the future.