East Africa: Schneider Electric has reported growing adoption of its SM AirSeT medium-voltage switchgear across East Africa, as utilities, commercial buildings, industrial sites and infrastructure operators look for alternatives to SF₆-based equipment.
SM AirSeT is part of Schneider Electric’s AirSeT range and uses pure air instead of sulphur hexafluoride. SF₆ is a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 24,300 times higher than CO₂. The technology is intended to support lower-carbon electrical networks while maintaining safety and performance.
The uptake covers markets including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Ethiopia. Demand is being driven by electrification, grid modernisation, industrial growth, digitalisation and the need for more sustainable medium-voltage distribution systems.
For utilities, the switchgear is positioned for urban network extensions, rural electrification programmes and infrastructure upgrades. In commercial buildings and data centres, it supports reliable medium-voltage distribution, monitoring, remote diagnostics and predictive maintenance.
The equipment is also being used for industrial and infrastructure applications, including manufacturing, airports, seaports and transport systems, where reliability and compliance with environmental standards are increasingly important.
The AirSeT range was recently recognised by the World Economic Forum’s Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders in the Scope 3 Downstream Solutions – Sustainable Design category.
According to Schneider Electric, the AirSeT range, including SM AirSeT, has helped customers avoid 1.7 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions globally as of June 2025, with the impact validated through the Schneider Sustainability Impact framework.
Source: Business Today
