Happy World Penguin Day

Why reducing SF₆ emissions is so important 

April 25 marks the start of the penguin’s yearly migration North and is World Penguin Day. As you may know, SF₆ emissions contribute to climate change, which directly affects the availability of food and natural habitats for these adorable creatures. DILO’s goal is to spread SF₆ emission awareness to help protect our environment. This month, DILO donated to the World Wildlife Fund to help conserve the penguin population in the hopes that they will continue to thrive.

Although you may automatically think of icebergs when you think of penguins, penguins live on every continent in the Southern Hemisphere. They can be found from Australia to Africa. Like many other penguin species, African Black-footed Penguins face many challenges due to human activities. They are threatened by overfishing and warming waters due to climate change. As a result, the African Penguin population has decreased by more than 50%. DILO chose the African Black-footed Penguin to honor this World Penguin Day.

You can find more information about the African Penguins here and you can learn more about the World Wildlife Fund and their mission to protect endangered species here.

What can you do to eliminate SF₆ emissions while in the field?

• Obtain proper training for SF₆ gas handling. Service personnel well-versed in the topic of SF₆ emissions are imperative for reducing the environmental impact of SF₆. Operator knowledge not only reduces the occurrence of emissions, but also builds a culture of environmentally conscious users in the Electrical Industry. DILO hosts SF₆ Safety and Handling Trainings as well as our Annual SF₆ Gas Management Seminar. Both events are great resources to learn how to handle SF₆ gas in a way that eliminates emissions.

• Use reliable SF₆ maintenance equipment built to contain gas while maintaining switchgear.  Check to make sure that connections and fittings have been leak tested with proper seals.

• Encourage SF₆ reuse whenever possible. SF₆ is 100% recyclable. Utilizing gas that has been properly reconditioned to meet or exceed IEEE standards helps to reduce the carbon footprint of SF₆ gas in North America. The manufacture of virgin SF₆ gas is a known source of emissions. So far in 2022 alone, DILO Direct has sold 20,000 lbs of DILO Certified SF₆ Gas. Thank you to our customers for choosing American Made reconditioned SF₆ gas over virgin SF₆ gas imported from overseas.

Sulfur Hexafluoride is a thermally stable, arc-quenching gas with an unmatched dielectric strength. These characteristics have made SF₆ the desirable medium for insulating high-voltage circuit breakers. Unfortunately, SF₆ has an extremely high Global Warming Potential and remains in the atmosphere for thousands of years if emitted. When proper gas handling procedures are followed, emissions can be avoided.  If we all work together, the electrical industry can enjoy the benefits of SF₆ gas while minimizing its environmental impact and help protect endangered animals like the penguin.

As always, please feel free to contact us with any questions.