Recently, the green power services involved in the research and development, production and sales of VOBO tempered glass insulators have officially passed the green power certification. This is the first time the company has obtained a "green certificate", marking a substantive achievement in its efforts to promote the construction of a "green demonstration" enterprise.

The Green power certificate, as the electronic "ID card" of renewable energy green power, is the sole proof of the environmental attributes of China's renewable energy electricity. Against the backdrop of the accelerated transformation of the energy structure, green power certification has become an important indicator of a company's core competitiveness.

In recent years, the construction of ultra-high voltage projects in China has entered a period of rapid development, and the application proportion of glass insulators has continued to rise. According to statistics, by 2025, the usage rate of glass insulators in newly built ultra-high voltage lines has exceeded 85%, far surpassing that of traditional ceramic insulators. Behind this transformation lies not only a breakthrough in material performance but also a reflection of the power industry's higher pursuit of transmission efficiency and safety. This article will analyze the key reasons why glass insulators stand out from three dimensions: material properties, economic cost, and operation and maintenance efficiency, guiding you to understand this silent revolution in the field of power equipment.

Ⅰ. Comprehensive breakthrough in material properties

In ultra-high voltage projects, insulators need to withstand voltages of millions of volts and extreme weather conditions, which poses strict requirements for material performance. Glass insulators have demonstrated significant technical advantages through formula optimization and production process upgrading.

1. Mechanical strength is enhanced

The latest test data in 2025 shows that the axial tensile failure load of the third-generation tempered glass insulator reaches 550kN, which is about 20% higher than that of the porcelain insulator of the same specification. Its internal prestressed structure can effectively disperse mechanical stress and maintain stable performance even under harsh working conditions such as strong winds and ice accumulation.

2. Electrical performance optimization

The uniform and dense characteristics of glass material make the electric field distribution on its surface more uniform. In the actual measurement of 1000kV AC ultra-high voltage lines, the radio interference level of glass insulator strings is 3-5dB lower than that of ceramic products, which is particularly important for the protection of the electromagnetic environment along the line.

Ⅱ. Full life cycle cost advantage

As a century-long project, the selection of equipment for ultra-high voltage projects requires a comprehensive consideration of both initial investment and long-term operation and maintenance costs. The economy of glass insulators is continuously becoming prominent with technological progress.

1. The procurement cost has decreased

The large-scale application of automated production lines has reduced the unit price of glass insulators by 32% compared to five years ago. Taking the ±1100kV Jiquan line as an example, the use of glass insulators throughout the line has saved over 230 million yuan in equipment procurement costs.

2. Maintenance cost revolution

The self-explosion visual feature has completely transformed the operation and maintenance mode. Operation and maintenance personnel can quickly locate damaged insulators through drone inspections, and the efficiency of fault identification has increased by more than 70%. However, traditional porcelain insulators need to be inspected piece by piece on the tower, and the cost of a single full-line inspection can differ by nearly ten times.

Ⅲ. Sustainable development fit

Under the impetus of the dual carbon goals, the environmental protection attributes of power equipment have become an important consideration. Glass insulators demonstrate greater environmental friendliness throughout the entire process from production to recycling.

1. Low-carbon production process

The new electric melting furnace technology reduces production energy consumption by 40% and does not add heavy metals throughout the process. Compared with the production of ceramic insulators, each ton of glass insulators can reduce 1.2 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.

2. Convenient for recycling and reuse

After being crushed, broken glass insulators can be directly recycled as raw materials in the furnace, with a recycling rate of over 95%. This closed-loop circulation model effectively reduces the generation of solid waste and meets the ESG management requirements of power grid enterprises.

From the Zhangbei Flexible DC Project to the Sichuan-Chongqing UHV Ring Network, glass insulators are setting new industry standards. The breakthrough in the balance between its performance and cost not only promotes the iteration of ultra-high voltage transmission technology but also heralds a fundamental shift in the logic of power equipment selection. With the continuous advancement of materials science, this solution that combines reliability and economy is bound to play a greater role in the journey of building a new type of power system.