Customer Success Story: Market segment Bane NOR and Ulriken tunnel Rail Photo credit: Bane Nor/Eivind Larsen Norway’s first fast track is SF6-free with Eaton Xiria Location: “Green solutions are Background and avoid products featuring Bergen, Norway the dangerous greenhouse gas The route between Arna and important in the entire SF6 or sulphur hexafluoride, Bergen in Norway is broadly Challenge: which is widely used in the project, including electrical used and experiences a high To use power management electrical industry to insulate volume of traffic every day. technologies that are reliable, installations. There is and prevent arc flash incidents According to Norwegian State efficient, safe and sustainable in from occurring. Norway’s first fast track – and no need to use SF6 gas Railways (formerly NSB), avoid the use of products featuring when climate friendly 630,000 people traveled by SF6 dangers SF6 gas, which has been identified train between Arna and Fløen Usage of SF6 is severe for the as the most severe of global alternatives exist, which in 2017, and the number is environment. In fact, SF6 has expected to increase. Most of greenhouse gases. are just as good. Bane been identified as the most the route consists of a tunnel potent greenhouse gas and Solution: NOR continues to prove which runs through has the highest global warming Eaton Xiria SF6-free switchgear. Mount Ulriken. that they are a driving potential of any known Results: force for a green change in Bane NOR is a state-owned substance. It is 23,500 times Bane NOR use vacuum switching company responsible more warming than carbon plus solid insulation, which ensures the Norwegian transport for this route and the dioxide (CO2) and it persists lowest cost of ownership and sector, making it easy Norwegian national railway in the atmosphere for at least minimized environmental impact infrastructure. The company is 1,000 years. Safety and the thanks to Eaton’s SF6-free Xiria. for everyone to travel responsible for the planning, environment are important to environmentally friendly.” development, administration, Bane NOR and their aim is to operation and maintenance run railways not only safely and Andreas Rasmussen, project leader for of the national railway efficiently, but to ensure they Rail Infrastructure AS (RIAS) network, as well as, traffic are environmentally conscious management, administration and responsible. and development of railway Solution property. One of their current projects is the construction of An SF6-free solution – the route between Arna Eaton Xiria and Bergen. The Norwegian railway Challenge entrepreneur Rail Infrastructure AS (RIAS) installed 11 Eaton There is a high volume of rail Xiria switchgears in the tunnel traffic on the route between Ulriken on behalf of Bane Arna and Bergen but the NOR and their main contractor capacity of the current railway Azvi. Eaton’s Xiria is used track does not operate as for application in 12 to 24 kV efficiently as they would like, medium voltage sustainability so with this, Bane NOR wanted networks and is completely to improve the capacity by free of the dangerous SF6 constructing a double track line. gas. This new generation of The project started in 2014 and environmentally friendly air will be completed in 2022. insulated switchgear uses Bane NOR wanted to invest vacuum technology combined in environmentally friendly with easily recyclable materials. solutions for the project and Since its introduction in the Results 1960’s, vacuum technology “Green solutions are important has proven to be a durable and in the entire project, including reliable alternative for widely electrical installations. There is adapted SF6. no need to use SF6 gas when Eaton’s Xiria features primary climate friendly alternatives components which are exist, which are just as good. contained in a sealed tank Bane NOR continues to prove mitigating environmental that they are a driving force influences. Additionally, visible for a green change in the isolation-earthing and an arc Norwegian transport sector, proof enclosure ensure optimal making it easy for everyone to operator safety. The design of travel environmentally friendly,” the system with load break says Andreas Rasmussen, switches and circuit breakers project leader for RIAS. utilizing Eaton’s vacuum The new railway will open in interrupters result in minimal 2022. Bane NOR has ensured maintenance requirements. the entire railway track will As a result of minimal be free of using any SF6 gas upkeep requirement, operator insulated technology, and switching errors are kept to a subsequently, demanding minimum due to the simple only SF6-free, environmentally and obvious operation. As friendly solutions for this sustainability becomes more project. Bane NOR’s solution and more important, using with Eaton’s Xiria is a great solutions free of SF6 is key to example of how easy it is to accomplish a green future for choose environmentally friendly the transport industry. solutions for the transport sector in Norway. 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