Siemens has introduced its new circuit breaker, the SIRIUS 3RV2, developed in collaboration with BASF and produced entirely without fossil fuels.
This product, part of Siemens Smart Infrastructure, stands out as the first electrical safety device featuring plastic parts where fossil materials have been replaced with biomethane from recycled organic waste. This substitution enables Siemens to reduce its CO2 equivalent emissions by approximately 270 tons annually. The switch is also among the first products to receive Siemens' new EcoTech label.
The SIRIUS 3RV2, an advanced circuit breaker for industrial and infrastructure applications, pioneers the use of plastic components made from biomass-balanced plastics. BASF manufactures this switch using specialized plastics like Ultramid® BMBcertTM and Ultradur® BMBcertTM, which replace fossil resources with biomethane from renewable sources such as agricultural waste.
Small Change, Big Impact
These materials match the quality and performance of conventional plastics, aiding the transition to a circular economy and a more sustainable future. For Siemens, this material shift is a crucial step towards achieving its ambitious sustainability goals, including a science-based 1.5°C decarbonization target and reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 90 percent by 2030. Siemens also aims to implement robust eco-design for 100 percent of its relevant product families by 2030.
The use of sustainable materials, which are not only employed in the SIRIUS 3RV2 but are also being extended to other products in the SIRIUS portfolio, significantly impacts CO2 emission reduction. Additionally, the Eco-Tech label provides customers with detailed insights into the products' environmental performance. The circuit breaker also features a lower energy consumption throughout its lifespan compared to previous models.
“With our products, we help customers enhance the performance, availability, and reliability of their facilities through resource-efficient, recyclable products that optimize energy consumption, production, and supply chains over their entire lifecycle. In BASF, we have found a strong partner who supports us with innovations in sustainable plastics”, stated Andreas Matthé, CEO of Electrical Products at Siemens Smart Infrastructure.
Use of Resource-Saving Raw Materials
BASF increasingly uses renewable and recycled raw materials in its product manufacturing, aiming to contribute to the circular economy and defossilization. Fossil resources are gradually replaced by bio-based and recycled materials. Following the mass balance approach, these materials are introduced at the beginning of BASF's value chains. When such certified products are demanded, BASF introduces sustainable raw materials into the BASF network.
“The mass balance approach is a groundbreaking solution that enables the gradual replacement of fossil resources even in complex production processes”, explained Martin Jung, President of BASF Performance Materials. “This aligns with our goal to achieve a circular economy and a 'net-zero' operation as quickly as possible.” The bio-naphtha and biomethane used by BASF are certified as sustainable according to established systems like ISCC PLUS and REDcert.
