Carbon Dioxide Is Not the Worst Greenhouse Gas, Meet SF6

Could a switch to renewable sources like wind and solar power actually emit more of the most potent greenhouse gas there is? » Subscribe to Seeker! http://bit.ly/subscribeseeker » Watch more Elements! http://bit.ly/ElementsPlaylist » Visit our shop at http://shop.seeker.com The greenhouse gas in question is SF6, or sulfur hexafluoride. SF6 is a colorless, odorless, cheap and non-flammable synthetic gas that is incredibly effective at insulating material for medium- and high-voltage electrical installation. Because sulfur hexafluoride displaces the air that feeds the flames, SF6 is used to help prevent short circuits and fires in high-voltage electrical switches and circuit breakers. Over time, as we add more renewables (think: wind and solar power) to our electric grids, the need for more safety equipment grows as does the use of SF6. But here's the thing: Sulfur hexafluoride is a fluorinated gas, which means it is part of a group of gasses with high global warming potentials. SF6 is 23,500 times more warming than carbon dioxide (CO2), and the potent greenhouse gas has the highest global warming potential of any known substance, and by 2030, we’re expecting to use 75% more of it worldwide. So does the increase in sulfur hexafluoride make all our efforts to switch to renewables for nought? What are the alternatives to SF6? Find out that and more in this Elements. #greenhousegas #sf6 #electricity #CO2 #seeker #elements #climate #science ___________________ Read More: Climate change: Electrical industry's 'dirty secret' boosts warming https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-49567197?fbclid=IwAR0k_JbnVsgK6hTBhtShgBvq2nmxSRFF1pAY75sR2ZNktzkQD6JX7plPS_0 "Cheap and non-flammable, SF6 is a colourless, odourless, synthetic gas. It makes a hugely effective insulating material for medium and high-voltage electrical installations. It is widely used across the industry, from large power stations to wind turbines to electrical sub-stations in towns and cities. I