SF₆ SF6 (or Sulphur Hexafluoride) had been the standard gas used inside high voltage electrical equipment as an insulating and arc-quenching medium. However, SF₆ SF6 is also listed as an extremely potent greenhouse gas according to the Kyoto protocol, with 23,500 times the comparative Global Warming Potential of CO₂ and a lifetime of 3,200 years in the atmosphere. With grid operators across the world becoming increasingly concerned about the environmental impact, GE offers a commercially available and viable alternative to SF₆ SF6 to help utilities and industries reduce their environmental impact.

INTRODUCING g³ G3 INSULATING AND SWITCHING GAS
g³, G3 (pronounced "g" cubed) is GE's game-changing alternative to SF₆ SF6 gas, developed for HV electrical transmission equipment.

g³ insulating and switching gas represents the culmination of a decade of research and development by its teams in France, Germany and Switzerland. The g³ gas mixture is based on carbon dioxide, oxygen, and 3M™ Novec™ 4710 Dielectric Fluid from the 3M fluoronitrile family. Fluoronitrile was identified by R&D experts as the most suitable additive to CO₂ and O₂ to reach the targeted environmental benefit of an alternative to SF₆, without compromising the equipment's technical performance and footprint. As a result, the global warming potential (GWP) of GE's g³ gas is 99% lower as compared to SF₆. 

g³ G3 products feature the same ratings and same dimensional footprint as the state-of-the-art SF₆ SF6 ones, with a drastically reduced environmental impact: more than 99% less gas global warming potential (GWP), comparatively. Also, g³ G3 products operate with no restriction under the same temperature range as SF₆ SF6 products (down to -30°C).

Like SF₆, g³ is non-toxic and not flammable. It falls in the same safety class as SF₆.