The document summarizes a survey on barriers to using low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants in new equipment in Article 5 countries. It describes how the survey was conducted by distributing questionnaires to stakeholders in the refrigeration and air conditioning field. The survey identified 32 specific barriers reported by respondents. The most significant barriers included the lack of available low-GWP systems, lack of incentives to invest in low-GWP technology, and restrictive rules around using low-GWP refrigerants. The document provides recommendations to address barriers such as training, guidance development, financial incentives, and regulatory changes.

1. Barriers and opportunities for use of
low-
low-GWP alternatives in new equipment
ROUNDTABLE ON CLIMATE & OZONE-FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGIES IN
OZONE-
RAC, Belgrade, Serbia, 10-11 May 2011
10-
Presented by Etienne Gonin
ECA Consultant, UNEP
Survey Author and Contact: Daniel Colbourne
Contact:
RE – PHRIDGE
d.colbourne@re-
d.colbourne@re-phridge.co.uk

2. Barriers to low-GWP refrigerants
low-
Introduction
• Whilst low-GWP is attractive, current use is limited
• As part of the “JumpStart” project UNEP (in cooperation with
the EC) initiated a survey to look at barriers to the up-take of
certain refrigerants in Article 5 countries
― Specifically, low-GWP refrigerants as replacements to R22
― Also intended to help accelerate HCFC phase-out
• Focus is on Article 5 countries (although same barriers may
also apply in non-Article 5)
• Primarily consider low-GWP refrigerants in new equipment

3. Barriers to low-GWP refrigerants
low-
Refrigerants to consider
• Those under consideration, and their main technical issues
R-717 (ammonia)
― Higher toxicity, low flammability, cannot use copper systems
HCs – R-290 (propane), R-1270 (propylene)
― High flammability
R-744 (carbon dioxide)
― Very high working pressures, low critical temperature / transcritical
cycle at higher ambient temperatures
Unsaturated HFCs – R1234yf, R1243zf, etc
― Very new, probably very costly, not commercialised yet

4. Barriers to low-GWP refrigerants
low-
Study approach
• Important to get broad views of individuals directly involved in
refrigeration and air conditioning field in Article 5 countries
― Therefore, used a survey / questionnaire approach
• Three main stages
― Basic analysis of the issue, desk study
― Develop survey form, present at workshops, distribute at workshops,
via email and internet sites, hold discussions
― Collate responses, compile and produce assessment report
• Questionnaires fundamentally based on guiding questions:
― “If I wanted to have a low-GWP system tomorrow, what is
stopping me?”
― “If I am determined to use a low-GWP refrigerant, what would
need to be done?”

5. Barriers to low-GWP refrigerants
low-
Desk study
• Initially identified several types of barriers
― Technical (refrigeration engineering)
― Technical (safety engineering)
― Supply and availability (materials, equipment, components, fluids)
― Commercial (investment, profit, financial incentives)
― Market (customer, consumer, competing products)
― Information resources (know-how, guidance, technical data)
― Regulatory and quasi-regulatory (legislation, standards)
― Psychological and sociological aspects
• Useful to identify where these may occur
― Within the process enterprises may use to adopt as new refrigerant
― Amongst the stakeholders involved with application of refrigerants

6. Barriers to low-GWP refrigerants
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Refrigerant adoption process in enterprise
• Essential to identify where barriers exist in the process

7. Barriers to low-GWP refrigerants
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Stakeholders involved with refrigerant application
• Essential to obtain view from all stakeholders within the process

8. Barriers to low-GWP refrigerants
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Survey form questions
Describe what the specific barrier is
What do you believe the causes/origins of this
barrier are?
Applicable to which refrigerant?
Which stakeholder(s) does it directly impact upon?
Questions are
Can you do anything about it?
designed to
If so, what action(s) would it be? help weigh up
Would it be easy or difficult for you to do this? the “strength” of
(easy, viable, difficult, impossible, etc)
the barrier
If you cannot do anything about it, which
stakeholder(s) could?
Is there a way of by-passing the barrier, an
alternative approach?
Any other remarks?

9. Barriers to low-GWP refrigerants
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Response to survey
• Distribution of statements by stakeholder
―Fairly broad, but would like more refrigerant suppliers,
end users, but especially equipment suppliers and
contractors

10. Barriers to low-GWP refrigerants
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Response to survey – how hard a task?
• Identified barriers are neither “easy” or “impossible” to resolve

11. Barriers to low-GWP refrigerants
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Statements about barriers
• From the entire set of responses, 32 specific barriers were
identified
• Many anticipated points
― “no standards”, “no demand”, “fear of safety”, “no systems currently in
use”, “peer group pressure”, “too much hassle”, etc
• The significance or relevance of each varies according to
considerations
― Country, region, size and type of equipment, type of refrigerant,
perception of person making the statement, etc

12. Barriers to low-GWP refrigerants
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Statements about barriers
• In overall analysis, for each barrier
― General statement formulated
― Explanation for why it is a barrier
― An overview discussion of the barrier
― Identified causes of the barrier
― Suggestions for how to resolve
― Additional remarks related to the issue
― Summary of other items, including “significance rating”
Refrigerant types All
System/application types All types of systems, especially those of larger capacity
Impacted stakeholders Manufacturers, installers, end users
Although making a change to an LGA refrigerant may pose risks, so would
Barrier impact
any change to the business and therefore is not seen as a major problem.
Severity rating
Unachievability rating

13. Barriers to low-GWP refrigerants
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Summary of main barriers
• The most significant barriers are considered to be
―There are no systems using LGA refrigerants available to buy
―There is nothing to incentivise enterprises to invest in LGA
technology
―No one is willing to invest in production of systems, parts,
components and refrigerant
―Consultants developing HPMPs are not recommending LGA
refrigerants for projects
―The rules for using LGA refrigerants are too restrictive to allow
their use
―There is a general fear of the safety risks

14. Barriers to low-GWP refrigerants
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General recommendations
• Awareness-raising
― Highlight the importance of the (climate) problem and the possibilities
of (low-GWP) options available
• Training
― Critical to adopt dedicated training – specific to each individual low-
GWP alternative and specific to application/end use
• Guidance
― High quality guidance of what low-GWP alternative, when, where and
how; also targeted to specific stakeholder groups
• Technical development
― Improving efficiency of R744 AC systems for warm climates, reducing
refrigerant charge sizes for HC systems, safety control mechanisms
for system using flammables

15. Barriers to low-GWP refrigerants
low-
General recommendations
• Market development
― Stimulate industry involvement with low-GWP alternatives; encourage
local manufacturing, develop product directories, etc
• Financial incentives
― Subsidies for using low-GWP, tax incentives for low-GWP / tax
disincentives for high-GWP
• Regulatory infrastructure
― Impose better control of industry to work safely, modify regulations that
inhibit low-GWP alternatives, ensure safety standards are constructive
• Montreal Protocol substantive issues
― Decision-making bodies to introduce more incentives, HPMP
consultants should be better assisted to embrace low-GWP alternatives
• ENGOs to more actively lobby on the high/low-GWP issue

16. Barriers to low-GWP refrigerants
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Final remarks
• Many of the barriers are interlinked
― The present situation is how it is, because that’s the way it is…
― Therefore, strategic interventions are necessary to transform the
situation
• However, respondents who have already implemented low-
GWP alternatives found that many of the barriers were less
difficult than anticipated
― In many cases, requires a lot of determination and effort
• Will be many other barriers, views and experiences out there…
― Next study should target much broader response
• Lastly, THANK YOU to all those that did provide input!

17. HCFC Phase-out Acceleration
Phase- Acceleration
JumpStart Project
• “Tool Box” launched to help developing
countries accelerating HCFC phase out:
―HCFC Policy and Legislative Options: A Guide for
Developing Countries
―Phase-out of HCFCs in the Flexible and Rigid Foam
Sector – Guidance on Choosing Technology
Options that Protect both Ozone and Climate
―Alternatives to HCFCs in the Refrigeration and Air
Conditioning sector - Practical Guidelines and Case
Studies for Equipment Retrofit and Replacement

18. HCFC Phase-out Acceleration
Phase- Acceleration
JumpStart Project (continued)
• A new HCFC Help Centre revamped
―A new and updated case studies section been launched
―A new interactive forum where stakeholders and policy
makers communicate with experts
http://web2.unep.fr/hcfc/
• 1 foam workshop + 1 RAC workshop
• The survey presented earlier in this presentation

19. The new web site

20. The new web site

21. Thank you for your attention!