BACKGROUND INFORMATION |
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Since the 1987 Montreal Protocol, debate over refrigerants has been a contentious topic. In 2016, the United Nations took a huge step by agreeing to phase out and eventually ban the use of HFCs. Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/norwayun/36990637000
Refrigerants: the sleeper threat of climate change.
Today, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are increasingly becoming the refrigeration chemical of choice for refrigeration and air conditioning systems worldwide. Since the 1987 Montreal Protocol that phased out and banned the ozone-depleting refrigerant chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and later hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC), companies around the world have become more conscious about the impact of the refrigerants they pump through their systems.
While HFCs have a negligible impact on the deterioration of the ozone layer in comparison to previous generations of refrigerants, their use poses a new problem: HFCs are up to 14,800 times more potent greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide. Luckily, the most common HFC strains range from "only" 1000 times worse to 4000 times worse than carbon dioxide. But HFC use worldwide continues to grow at 10 to 15 percent each year. If these trends continue, we would still experience a drastic setback in our international goal to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Fortunately, in 2016, countries around the world approved the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, proposing the phase-out and eventual ban of HFC use. This United Nations-brokered deal could prevent up to a .5 degree Celsius rise in world temperatures (as a result of HFC emissions) by the end of the century. Although the United States has not officially ratified this amendment, officials from both parties are considering ratification and have found the amendment to be a pragmatic and reasonable approach to climate change mitigation. If ratified, the Kigali Amendment would go into effect in 2019. Until then, however, HFC use will only increase. As of January 5, 2019, 65 of the 197 signatory nations have ratified the Kigali Amendment. To check the status of ratification, visit kigali-amendment.openclimatedata.net/
Today, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are increasingly becoming the refrigeration chemical of choice for refrigeration and air conditioning systems worldwide. Since the 1987 Montreal Protocol that phased out and banned the ozone-depleting refrigerant chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and later hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC), companies around the world have become more conscious about the impact of the refrigerants they pump through their systems.
While HFCs have a negligible impact on the deterioration of the ozone layer in comparison to previous generations of refrigerants, their use poses a new problem: HFCs are up to 14,800 times more potent greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide. Luckily, the most common HFC strains range from "only" 1000 times worse to 4000 times worse than carbon dioxide. But HFC use worldwide continues to grow at 10 to 15 percent each year. If these trends continue, we would still experience a drastic setback in our international goal to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Fortunately, in 2016, countries around the world approved the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, proposing the phase-out and eventual ban of HFC use. This United Nations-brokered deal could prevent up to a .5 degree Celsius rise in world temperatures (as a result of HFC emissions) by the end of the century. Although the United States has not officially ratified this amendment, officials from both parties are considering ratification and have found the amendment to be a pragmatic and reasonable approach to climate change mitigation. If ratified, the Kigali Amendment would go into effect in 2019. Until then, however, HFC use will only increase. As of January 5, 2019, 65 of the 197 signatory nations have ratified the Kigali Amendment. To check the status of ratification, visit kigali-amendment.openclimatedata.net/
The Kigali Amendment is approved as a landmark event in international law. Retrieved from: http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/read/223885
Although it may seem like the United States isn't keen on supporting environmental bills, there's an enormous commercial incentive to ratify Kigali. In May 2018, 32 executives from top HVAC companies (including Emerson and Lennox International) wrote to President Trump urging him to submit Kigali for official Senate ratification. In early June, 13 senators, many of them notable Republicans, wrote to President Trump, noting the numerous commercial benefits of ratification. They include:
- An estimated 33,000 manufacturing jobs
- Increased exports of the HVAC industry by $4.8 billion, noting the need for Americans to compete with a growing HVAC industry in Europe and China
- The letter can be read in full below.
What makes this issue urgent:
Throughout our project, we will focus on two main goals: first, containing HFC in existing systems, and second, assisting the transition to alternative refrigerants to HFC.
HFCs can be substituted with natural options, such as carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, and ammonia, as well as synthetic options, including hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs). In comparison to HFCs, these alternatives have negligible global warming potential and their early adoption has already contributed to significant decreases in greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. We'll also promote the best practice of using infrared and laser leak detectors. Leaks often occur at minuscule failure points that are difficult to detect and locate. Without advanced detection, when there is a leak, system owners often respond simply by recharging the system with more HFC gas without bothering to find the leak first.
In order to help businesses anticipate their incoming changes to refrigeration, we will hold a refrigeration summit in Ithaca, New York. At this refrigeration summit, we will encourage local businesses to sign a pledge, either to become early adopters of HFC alternatives, or to be conscious of and compliant to maintenance best practices.
- Companies can continue to use HFC systems, even with the Kigali Amendment.
- Kigali doesn't address maintenance or service on refrigerators, so theoretically, an HFC system could stay in operation as long as it works and doesn't break. Therefore, bans on HFC won't necessarily make it disappear from use.
- Businesses that buy HFC systems in the next few years may commit a huge financial blunder--mandatory phase-out and transitions in the next seven years could make service more expensive. With new sustainable technology on the way, it's possible that upcoming technology will make any existing HFC refrigerators obsolete.
- As we speak, HFC is leaking into the atmosphere.
- A tiny pinhole leak could result in tons of HFC leaking into the atmosphere. These leaks occur everywhere--in your home refrigerator, at the supermarket, and even in your car air conditioner. With normal system vibrations, material stress, and product age, these leaks are bound to occur. As a consequence, it's imperative that businesses follow refrigeration maintenance best practices to mitigate the impact of any leaks that you might have.
- Alternative technologies are almost here, but people are still unsure about their viability.
- Throughout this project, we'll highlight the newest technologies in refrigeration, while understanding that not all businesses are ready to become early adopters. In Germany, for example, cars aren't allowed to use the newest sustainable refrigerants for flammability concerns. In the United States, differences of just a few hundred dollars in sustainable refrigeration technology can cause businesses to buy existing HFC refrigerators.
Throughout our project, we will focus on two main goals: first, containing HFC in existing systems, and second, assisting the transition to alternative refrigerants to HFC.
HFCs can be substituted with natural options, such as carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, and ammonia, as well as synthetic options, including hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs). In comparison to HFCs, these alternatives have negligible global warming potential and their early adoption has already contributed to significant decreases in greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. We'll also promote the best practice of using infrared and laser leak detectors. Leaks often occur at minuscule failure points that are difficult to detect and locate. Without advanced detection, when there is a leak, system owners often respond simply by recharging the system with more HFC gas without bothering to find the leak first.
In order to help businesses anticipate their incoming changes to refrigeration, we will hold a refrigeration summit in Ithaca, New York. At this refrigeration summit, we will encourage local businesses to sign a pledge, either to become early adopters of HFC alternatives, or to be conscious of and compliant to maintenance best practices.
THE NATURE OF HFC |
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We've already thrown a few statistics at you. But let's explore each of these points in greater depth so we can understand the nature of HFC and why it's so pernicious.
- HFC has a global warming potential (GWP) ranging from 12 to 14,800 times greater than carbon dioxide.
- GWP is a measure of the total energy that a gas absorbs over a period of time (100 years is standard in the scientific world). Carbon dioxide is considered the measuring stick, with a GWP of 1. One of the most common HFC blends is named R-134A (found in your personal refrigerator and most car air conditioning units) and has a GWP of 1430.
- In a nutshell, 1430 molecules of carbon dioxide have the same impact on the environment as one R-134A molecule.
- Chemically, fluorine is the component that turns HFC into such a potent greenhouse gas. Other fluorinated gases have similar warming properties.
- This means that a small concentration of HFC could have the same or even more serious effects on the environment as a much larger quantity of carbon dioxide.
- HFC has many strains with similar but not identical chemical properties. Depending on the strain, it can be thousands to ten thousands of times the impact of carbon dioxide.
- GWP is a measure of the total energy that a gas absorbs over a period of time (100 years is standard in the scientific world). Carbon dioxide is considered the measuring stick, with a GWP of 1. One of the most common HFC blends is named R-134A (found in your personal refrigerator and most car air conditioning units) and has a GWP of 1430.
This is the EPA's table on the varying impacts of refrigerants. In the first three rows, you can see that CFC and HFC have very high GWPs in comparison to the last two (alternatives to HFC) which have a far smaller impact on the environment.
- HFC use is growing at around 10 to 15 percent each year.
- Some HFCs can stay in the environment for millennia, but most stay in the atmosphere for several decades.
- According to the EPA, HFC gas can stay in the atmosphere for up to 270 years. The most common household refrigerant (used in home refrigerators) R134A lasts 14 years compared to R-1233zd (E), a sustainable alternative refrigerant that lasts only 29 days.
- Generally, all gases have a finite life, but the shorter the life, the lower the environmental impact because the gases don’t stay in the atmosphere long enough to have a real impact.
- HFC is also highly flammable under high temperatures. If it's stuck in the environment for hundreds of years and continues to accumulate, who knows what could happen?