Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF₆) is widely used in the electrical industry, particularly in GIS, AIS, and High Voltage applications, thanks to its excellent insulating properties. However, it hides a dark side: it is the most potent greenhouse gas known to date.

• Global Warming Potential (GWP): 24,300 times higher than CO₂
• Atmospheric Lifespan: Over 3,200 years.
• Perception: It is an invisible, odorless, non-toxic gas to humans, but extremely harmful to the environment.

Making the Number “24,300” Real:

Releasing just 10 grams of SF₆ has the same climate impact as emitting 243 kg of CO₂. In practical terms, this is equivalent to driving a petrol car for over 1,500 km (roughly the distance from Milan to Berlin).

Risks and Impacts in the Electrical Sector

It is not just a climate issue. Managing SF₆ gas involves operational, financial, and compliance risks that companies can no longer afford to ignore:

• Environmental Damage: Even the smallest micro-leaks contribute massively to global warming.
• Asset Deterioration: Using contaminated SF₆ accelerates the degradation and aging of sensitive high-voltage equipment.
• Severe Penalties: Improper management or disposal exposes companies to serious regulatory consequences and heavy financial sanctions.

Regulatory Evolution & EU Regulation 2024/573

To combat these risks, European legislation has taken a decisive step. The new EU Regulation 2024/573 progressively bans the use of virgin SF₆ in new applications.

Companies in the sector are now required to adopt sustainable practices and complete the transition toward the exclusive use of reclaimed or recycled gas. While SF₆ remains an essential resource for electrical infrastructure, from now on it must be managed with extreme responsibility.

Key Milestones of the SF₆ Phase-Out

The phase-out process follows a precise timeline requiring timely technological adaptation:

Date	Regulatory Requirement / Restriction
March 11, 2024	Official entry into force of EU Regulation 2024/573.
January 1, 2026	Prohibition of placing new Medium Voltage switchgear (up to 24 kV) using SF6 on the market.
January 1, 2028	First phase of the restriction for switchgear from 52 kV up to 145 kV.
January 1, 2030	Restriction for switchgear above 24 kV up to 52 kV.
January 1, 2032	Restriction for switchgear above 145 kV (pending final technical definitions).
January 1, 2035	During maintenance or repair, the use of SF6 will be permitted exclusively if recycled or reclaimed.

Leading the Shift: Synecom’s Sustainable Approach

Faced with a landmark turning point in the electrical sector, responding to EU Regulation 2024/573 cannot be a matter of simple bureaucratic compliance: it requires a true industrial paradigm shift.

Continuing to purchase virgin SF₆ gas and bearing the exorbitant costs of thermal destruction belongs to the past. The future is the Circular Economy. Eliminating disposal and virgin production does not just mean respecting the environment—it means eliminating waste, reducing emissions, and saving resources, transforming an operational cost and environmental risk into a regenerated strategic resource.

This is Synecom’s vision: leading the transition with concrete solutions proven by over twelve years of excellence. Our offering rests on three technological and service pillars:

1. Reclaiming (SF₆ Regeneration & Regen2 System): Solutions for Every Need

Through an advanced process of filtration and cryogenic separation, contaminated SF₆ is separated from non-condensable pollutant gases (N₂, O₂, CF₄) restoring a purified product up to 99.9999%, with quality standards exceeding virgin gas (compliant with IEC 60376 standards). This technology responds to two clear needs:

• Synecom Regeneration Service: Whether you are located near our plants or manage large accumulated volumes of gas (several tons), the simplest and most definitive solution is our in-house service. You collect the gas and send it to our center: we handle the entire process, removing operational complexities and returning perfectly reclaimed gas.
• The Regen2 System (Opportunity for Investors): For major players and industrial investors, we offer Regen2, our containerized, modular, and ISO 14001-certified unit. Purchasing Regen2 means installing a proprietary system to turn SF₆ regeneration into a highly profitable business: collecting spent gas from the market, purifying it directly on-site, and reselling it.

2. Dialysis Recycling (Active): Zero-Downtime “SF₆ Dialysis”

When SF₆ becomes contaminated with moisture, dust, and corrosive acid byproducts, there is no need to shut down the system or replace the gas. The patented Active solution performs true in-line, on-site gas dialysis directly on fully loaded, energized switchgear (AIS, GIS, and particle accelerators) without a single minute of service disruption.

• Extended Lifespan & Zero Blackouts: Moisture and acids are the “killers” that trigger electric arcs and corrode assets from the inside out. By continuously neutralizing these impurities, Active adds decades of operational life to equipment and avoids costly heavy machinery replacements.
• Certified Result (IEC 60480): Thanks to variable-capacity filters and multi-parameter transmitters (monitoring dew point, pressure, and density), the gas is restored to technical grade standard IEC 60480 for safe reuse.
• Anticipated Compliance (2035 Standard): It enables companies to anticipate the 2035 deadline years in advance, ensuring full operational autonomy.
  • Synecom On-Site Service: Our certified technicians intervene directly on your live switchgear using the Active mobile unit.
  • Autonomy with the Active Unit (Product): By purchasing the compact mobile unit, your own operators can perform dialysis independently on any asset.

3. 24/7 Monitoring and Data Collection (F-GREEN): Zero Risk, Total Compliance

You cannot manage what you cannot measure. F-GREEN is Synecom’s patented permanent monitoring system that transforms high-voltage infrastructure management from reactive to predictive and intelligent:

• Environmental Protection & Predictive Algorithm: Monitors the 4 vital SF₆ parameters 24/7 (pressure, compartment temperature, density, and dew point) and, using a proprietary algorithm, calculates the annual leak rate in advance to catch every micro-leak at its inception.
• Automated Legal & Regulatory Shield: Automates the generation of compliance reports aligned with the strictest European and national directives (EU Regulation 2024/573, EU 1191/2014, and Italian Presidential Decree D.P.R. 146/2018).
• Traffic-Light Visual Interface: Translates complex data into immediate plant status:
  • 🟢 Green: Maximum efficiency and stability.
  • 🟠 Orange: Pre-alarm / deviation to schedule maintenance weeks in advance.
  • 🔴 Red: Critical alarm / Trip to prevent catastrophic failures.
  • 🟡 Yellow: System self-diagnostics for constant 100% reliability.

The system is secured by multi-level access control (User, Supervisor, Synecom) with integrated maintenance window management to eliminate false alarms during technical service.

Towards the Future of Energy Management: Turn Constraint into Advantage

The deadlines of the European phase-out are not an obstacle, but the single greatest opportunity to modernize your business.

Anticipating regulatory bans, securing operational continuity, and protecting equipment value means positioning yourself as a market leader. With Synecom’s technologies, circular SF₆ management becomes a concrete, immediate, and measurable competitive advantage.

Don’t wait for regulatory deadlocks. Secure your infrastructure or create new value with our technologies.