COP30: Reducing SF6 emissions

Recommendations

• Introduce global reporting requirements. Mandate registration of SF₆ procurement, use and emissions in all sectors, including defence.

• Implement measures to reduce emissions. Establish standardised requirements for SF₆ handling throughout its entire lifecycle — from production and use to destruction.

• Use taxation as a policy tool. Introduce harmonised global taxes on SF₆ to limit its use and promote the development of alternatives.

• Plan for phase-out. Set a global timeline for eliminating SF₆ from both new and existing installations.

• Develop alternatives. Increase research on new technologies to replace SF₆ in electrical equipment across all voltage levels.

• Support retro-fill solutions. Develop methods for replacing SF₆ in existing equipment with alternative gases to accelerate phase-out.

Current situation

SF₆ is the most powerful greenhouse gas known, with a global warming potential (GWP) 24,300 times more CO₂ (in a 100-year perspective) and an atmospheric lifetime of at least 1,000 years. Although SF₆ once had a wide range of applications, its use today is largely limited to the electric power industry and in specific defence applications.

SF₆ is used in nearly all types of electrical switchgear (circuit breakers, gas-insulated switchgear, cable terminations, etc.) at both distribution and transmission levels (medium and high voltage). Efforts to reduce SF₆ leakage from electrical equipment have been ongoing for many years, yet for most grid operators this remains their single largest source of direct greenhouse gas emissions. Equipment failures or human error during installation and maintenance are among the most common causes of major emissions.

As global electrification advances, the world’s power grid is expected to more than double in size by 2050. If this expansion relies on current technology, the installed amount of SF₆ could multiply many times — particularly in regions outside Europe, where electrification is accelerating.

The EU has adopted a plan to phase out SF₆ in new electrical installations by 2032 under the new F-gas Regulation, and California has introduced similar measures. Several alternative technologies are now available, but implementation is slow, especially for the highest voltage levels, where solutions have been developed later and remain more expensive than conventional SF₆-based systems.

The use of SF₆ in the defence industry is poorly documented, with limited transparency about applications and quantities. Since such uses are not reported to public registries, the lack of openness makes it difficult to obtain a full picture of total emissions and hinders comprehensive regulation.

Solution

Europe has taken the lead globally by requiring leak minimisation in electrical installations through mandatory certification of personnel handling SF₆, reporting of gas procurement, emissions and disposal, and by phasing out SF₆ in new equipment. In Norway, SF₆ is subject to a high environmental tax as an incentive to reduce use and emissions. Similar schemes should be implemented globally. This would provide a comprehensive overview of the total climate impact of SF₆ while helping to reduce its use.

Research on alternative technologies for SF₆-filled electrical equipment must be intensified, alongside efforts to promote standardisation and knowledge sharing between users and manufacturers. Security of supply requirements are, and must remain, strict — any new technology must be as reliable as the existing one.

Research into retro-fill methods — replacing SF₆ with alternative gases in existing installations — is especially important for accelerating phase-out, as it will take many years to replace all SF₆-insulated infrastructure with new technology.

Reporting on SF₆ use in the defence sector, combined with research into suitable alternatives, is also vital to achieve a comprehensive understanding of total SF₆ use and emissions.