Many new notes have come my way touting material innovations developing non-petroleum-based plastics. These biodegradable plastics hold great promise for reducing our waste problems globally. This news comes in the manufacturing component area from Siemens.
- Siemens circuit breaker is the first electrical safety product to use plastic components where fossil raw materials have been replaced by biomethane derived from recycled biowaste.
- The material changeover in the SIRIUS 3RV2 circuit breaker production will reduce the emission of carbon dioxide equivalents by ~270 tons per year
- SIRIUS 3RV2 is one of the first products covered by the recently launched Siemens EcoTech label
Siemens Smart Infrastructure and BASF have announced the first electrical safety product to include components made from biomass-balanced plastics. Used across industrial and infrastructure applications, Siemens SIRIUS 3RV2 circuit breaker is now being manufactured using Ultramid BMBcertTM and Ultradur BMBcertTM from BASF, where fossil feedstock at the beginning of the value chain is replaced by biomethane derived from renewable sources such as agricultural waste. Both materials offer the same quality and performance as conventional plastics. The material changeover in the SIRIUS 3RV2 circuit breaker production will reduce the emission of carbon dioxide equivalents by ~270 tons per year1. Customers using these products contribute to a circular economy towards a more sustainable future.
The move supports Siemens´ sustainability goals in the areas of decarbonization and resource efficiency, outlined within its DEGREE framework, with the company following a 1.5°C science-based decarbonization target, including a 90 percent reduction target for scope 1 and 2 until 2030, and the application of a Robust Eco Design for 100 percent of relevant product families by 2030.
In the coming months, Siemens plans to expand the use of sustainable materials across the broader SIRIUS industrial controls portfolio. In addition to product design and features, as well as manufacturing and supply processes, the choice of materials plays a major role in further reducing carbon emissions and conserving natural resources. The SIRIUS 3RV2 circuit breaker meets the strict criteria of the recently introduced Siemens EcoTech label, designed to give customers a comprehensive insight into product performance across selected environmental criteria. In addition to most of the product housing and functional parts being made from biomass-balanced plastic, the product also offers lower power consumption over its lifetime compared to its predecessor.
