Is your bushing ready for the switchgear of tomorrow?
Blog Post | 28.05.2025 | 3 min read | Dr. Jens Rocks
As the global energy landscape undergoes rapid transformation, a quieter revolution is also taking place – deep within substations and gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) systems. Across the industry, manufacturers and operators are rethinking the way switchgear is designed and deployed, with a growing focus on sustainability, compliance, and climate responsibility.
While much of the spotlight has been on renewable generation and digital control, a critical enabler of this transition lies in how we insulate and protect high-voltage systems – especially in compact, high-performance environments like GIS. The drive toward more environmentally responsible switchgear is reshaping the expectations placed on every component involved.
The rise of environmentally responsible switchgear
Traditionally, gas-insulated switchgear relied on well-established insulating gases that delivered strong dielectric and arc-quenching performance. However, growing environmental awareness and regulatory pressure have prompted the industry to explore and adopt alternative insulation gases with significantly lower environmental impact.
From utilities to OEMs, stakeholders are embracing this shift – not just to meet emissions targets, but to future-proof their infrastructure. This evolution affects more than just the gas – it has implications for design standards, testing procedures, operating pressures, and long-term operational considerations.
Small interfaces. Big implications.
The transition to environmentally responsible switchgear has brought new performance demands to nearly every part of the system. Materials that previously operated within known tolerances must now perform reliably under elevated internal pressures and with new gas compositions that may interact differently over time.
In modern GIS, where gas dynamics, sealing integrity, and thermal behavior are all changing, components like transformer bushings face a new set of challenges. Material compatibility, gas retention, and mechanical and thermal resilience are now key evaluation criteria – not just afterthoughts. Selecting a bushing for today’s GIS is no longer a matter of legacy specifications. It requires a new understanding of the operating environment, interface pressure, and insulation system design.
The critical role of the transformer-GIS interface
Transformer bushings serve a uniquely vital role: they bridge the transformer and the HV switchgear. In a GIS that is designed to operate without conventional insulation gases, that interface becomes a point of intense scrutiny.
Why? Because any mismatch in pressure tolerance, sealing performance, or dielectric compatibility could have long-term consequences for the system’s reliability and safety. Bushings that are not explicitly engineered or qualified for use in environmentally responsible GIS may become a hidden point of failure.
At the same time, this challenge represents a compelling opportunity – to reimagine how bushings are designed and validated for this evolving segment of the grid.
Future-ready starts with fit-for-purpose
As switchgear systems continue to evolve, so must the components that interface with them. Selecting a bushing that is purpose-built for new pressures, qualified for emerging insulation systems, and tested under modern standards is not just a technical decision – it’s a strategic one.
Whether you're a utility preparing for your next installation or a manufacturer redefining your equipment portfolio, this much is clear: tomorrow’s switchgear requires a new kind of readiness.
At Hitachi Energy, we've been preparing for this shift.
And soon, we’ll introduce a new kind of bushing – designed for empowering the switchgear of tomorrow.
Watch out for the new launch at our booth in CWIEME 2025 in Berlin. More details here ▶️ https://www.hitachienergy.social/GW6
