Nuventura, E.DIS Collaborate on Commercial Demonstration Project in Germany

Berlin-based deep tech company Nuventura is collaborating with grid operator E.DIS on a commercial demonstration project in Ketzin, Brandenburg, Germany. Together the companies have completed the first commercial installation of Nuventura's Nu1 medium-voltage gas-insulated switchgear (GIS).

Nu1 is a fully certified (type-tested) GIS for primary distribution grids, which uses dry air as an electrical insulating medium instead of SF6. The pilot project will also test the IoT solution provided by Nuventura, which aims to improve switchgear asset management through real-time monitoring.

"Our main objective is to supply our customers with reliable, around-the-clock energy. Sustainability also plays an increasingly important role in this, which is why we will increasingly evaluate new, SF6-free alternatives. It fills me with pride that the switchgear has been installed after two years of intensive cooperation. I'm looking forward to further cooperation with Nuventura to future-proof our network and at the same time ensure a reliable and sustainable energy supply," said Andreas Freygang, project manager of E.DIS Netz GmbH.

The Nu1 switchgear used in the Ketzin substation is the first commercial installation of Nuventura's technology. In addition to replacing SF6 with dry (technical) air as the insulating medium, it uses vacuum switching — a proven and reliable technology.

Nuventura designs novel GIS technologies that remove the need for SF6 or any other fluorinated gas (F-gas) in medium-voltage primary switchgear applications. By being integrated in E.DIS' medium-voltage network, the dry air GIS will provide both Nuventura and E.DIS with valuable operating experience with this new generation of sustainable GIS.

"Our goal as a company is to develop and license switchgear technologies that will eventually make the use of SF6 in the energy industry obsolete. Together with E.DIS, we are piloting our patented technology that — while being completely environmentally sustainable and digitally enhanced — does not compromise on performance. We hope that this represents a significant step toward the development and adoption of F-gas-free GIS alternatives," said Dr. Fabian Lemke, Nuventura's CEO and co-founder.

Through Nuventura's cloud-based sensor integration, E.DIS will be able to remotely visualize, monitor, and analyze — in real time and around the clock — the installed assets' conditions. This will contribute to E.DIS' goal of consistently providing high grid and power quality.

Nuventura designed and assembled the Nu1 switchgear together with its contract partner SZM.