The document discusses refrigerants in the European and international contexts. It notes that refrigeration needs are increasing globally due to population growth and development, but refrigeration also represents a major source of energy consumption. International discussions aim to phase down HFC refrigerants due to their impact on global warming. In Europe, the F-gas Regulation aims to reduce HFC emissions, and its revision may lead to more restrictive measures such as earlier phase-outs of high-GWP refrigerants.

1. Refrigerants:
European and International Contexts
MILANO, Italy
Mostra Convegno Expocomfort
International
Institute of 30 marzo 2012
Refrigeration
Didier COULOMB
International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR)
www.iifiir.org

2. 1 - Refrigeration is everywhere
• Cryogenics (petrochemical refining, steel industry, space industry,
nuclear fusion…)
• Medicine and health products (cryosurgery, anaesthesia, scanners,
vaccines…)
• Air conditioning (including data centres…)
• Food industry and the cold chain
• Energy sector (including heat pumps, LNG, hydrogen…)
• Environment (including carbon capture and storage), public works,
leisure activities…
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3. 2 - The increasing needs in developing and emerging countries
1600 deaths/year in the USA due to pathogens, at least partly
associated with temperature control; many more in « developing »
countries:
• Increase in the global population, particularly in Africa and South Asia
(9-10 billion in 2050, 8 in developing countries)
• 70% (50% now) will be in urban areas (x2 in developing countries):
increasing the need for cold chains, increasingly westernized models
• 1 billion people are undernourished; 23% of food losses are caused by
a lack of refrigeration (vs 9% in developed countries)
• Needs for better health everywhere (good cold chain, air conditioning),
ageing population…
This increase in emerging and developing countries will increase the
impact on the environment
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4. 3 - Refrigeration is a major energy consumer
Refrigeration including air conditioning represents 15% of global
electricity consumption. And it will increase (The Netherlands: 18%...)
 Global warming because of CO2 emissions:
TEWI, LCCP (IIR Working Party)
 The price of electricity will increase (new sources of energy
have higher costs)
 Lack of power infrastructures
 Overall system solutions (district cooling…)
 New regulations on energy, on buildings in Europe, the USA:
constraints on energy  constraints on refrigeration systems
 Changing a system because of refrigerant issues must take into
account potential reductions in energy consumption
International Institute of Refrigeration – www.iifiir.org

5. 4 – Focus on Refrigerants
• Vapour-compression systems will remain predominant in the short
and medium term more refrigerants.
• Impact on the stratospheric ozone layer:
CFCs, HCFCs the Montreal Protocol
Phase-out plans
Banks
• Alternative refrigerants:
- HFCs, including HFOs: no impact on the ozone layer but an impact
on global warming (included in the Kyoto Protocol)
- Natural refrigerants (ammonia, CO2, hydrocarbons, water, air):
have a very low impact on global warming.
- Mixtures, combinations (cascades, secondary fluids)
International Institute of Refrigeration – www.iifiir.org

6. Family of refrigerants Main refrigerants ODP GWP
CFC 11 1 4 750
CFCs CFC 12 1 10 900
Others 0.4 -> 1 6 000 -> 15 000
HCFCs HCFC 22 0,05 1 810
Others 0.020 -> 0.070 70 -> 2 400
HFC 134a 0 1 430
HFC 404A 0 3 900
HFC 407C 0 1 800
HFCs HFC 410A 0 2 100
HFC 32 0 720
HFC 1234yf 0 4
Others 0 4 -> 4 500
(except HFC 23 = 14 800)
HC 290 0 20
HC 600a 0 20
HC 1270 0 20
Natural Refrigerants R717 (ammonia) 0 ~0
R744 (Carbon dioxide) 0 1
Air, water 0 ~0

7. Discussions at an international level
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8. Hence, discussions held at an international level (Montreal Protocol and
Kyoto Protocol meetings) on the future of HFCs: replacing HCFCs with
HFCs could be a real threat to climate.
North American and Mauritius-Micronesia proposals to gradually phase
down the consumption and production of HFCs, in all countries. The
amounts are weighted according to their Global Warming Potential.
• Opposition of India, China, Brazil
• Other initiatives:
 The European F-gas regulation and the MAC directive
 Taxes and bans on HFCs
This decision is linked to other decisions regarding global warming
(time schedule: 2015 for a new agreement on this issue)
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9. 5 – Consequences at the European level
The European Union: an example for the world regarding Global Warming?
(compliance with the Kyoto Protocol; attitude in international negotiations)
• 1st mesure: reducing leakage  the F-gas regulation
and more (?)
• 2nd mesure: phase-out of high GWP refrigerants
 the MAC directive
and more (?)
• 3rd mesure: taxes and bans in certain European countries
then at a European level (?)
International Institute of Refrigeration – www.iifiir.org

10. At a European level:
1. HCFC phase-out
1.1.2010: phase-out of virgin HCFCs in Europe
1.1.2015: phase-out of recycled HCFCs in Europe
2. The F-gas Regulation: current status
- Adopted in 2006, entered into force on 4.7.2007 with a view to reducing
emissions of fluorinated gases (HFCs, PFCs, SF6);
revision scheduled in 2010
- The aim: to train staff and certify staff and companies handling
refrigerants, to reduce leakage in stationary equipment, considered as
being of greatest importance.
A Directive on mobile air conditioning completes the F-gas Regulation and
embodies gradual phase-out of refrigerants with a GWP >150
- Many countries have implemented rules that are more stringent than the
F-gas Regulation and the Directive on mobile air conditioning
- Few countries didn’t set up national per-application regulations.
Italy just did it.
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11. - More restrictive measures concern: the threshold governing the
application of the regulation, with a value lower than the charge of
3 kg of refrigerant; implementation of maximum leakage rates (5%)
in Germany, Belgium…; minimum intervals between maintenance
operations; databases; responsibilities with respect to recycling;
moreover, Germany has extended compulsory leakage monitoring to
refrigerated transport for charges of over 3 kg and Sweden has
extended its policy to ships (charges of over 10 kg).
- Moreover, several countries have implemented high taxes on HFCs.
3. The revision process
Began 1 year and a half ago
- A group of experts involving the IIR and consultants was set
up in October 2010 in order to assist the European
Commission.
International Institute of Refrigeration – www.iifiir.org

12. - In parallel, stances, in particular those of Eurovent, AREA and
EPEE, designed to strengthen the binding nature of the regulation.
In particular, AREA recommends the extension of the regulation
to refrigerated transport and advocates reducing the threshold
from 3 kg to 100 g.
- A Commission report was placed on line with a view to obtaining
comments before December 19, 2011. The IIR sent comments.
Aim: to develop a draft decision during the first half of 2012 prior
to examination by the European Parliament
Followed by a decision in 2013?
 Options put forward by the consultants:
 A per-sector approach to be implemented over the period spanning
2015 to 2030, depending on the importance of the stakeholders and
the potential solutions.
 Banning of fluorinated gases in certain applications
(cf. The MAC Directive).
 Taxation systems or deposit.
No conclusions so far.
International Institute of Refrigeration – www.iifiir.org

13. CONCLUSION (1)
 Actions in HFCs = « easy » way to rapidly reduce greenhouse-gas
emissions, which explains part of the pressure by USA, UNEP, NGOs
 Industrial interests  industrial lobbying
 The European Union would like to be a model and
anticipate possible international decisions
 Very probably, as soon as international decisions on global warming can
be taken (2015?), a phase down schedule of HFCs would be decided.
 Until then, strengthening the F-gas regulation would be the minimum
the European Union could impose.
International Institute of Refrigeration – www.iifiir.org

14. CONCLUSION (2)
In order to know:
 What will the future be in terms of regulations;
 What kind of solutions exist (new technologies, new refrigerants…)
 What are the constraints? What are the costs?..Etc.
Regularly updated information is required.
International Institute of Refrigeration – www.iifiir.org

15. The IIR can help you
 Thanks to its new portal,
 Through its database Fridoc (the most complete refrigeration database)
 Through its publications (the International Journal of Refrigeration, the
best impact factor in its field; the Newsletter, books, guides….)
 Through its reference documents (eg the International Dictionary of
Refrigeration including arabic… ).
 Through its network of experts.
 Through its participation in international decisions.
 Through its conferences, congresses, research projects and working
parties on these issues.
See our Website: www.iifiir.org
Become a member
International Institute of Refrigeration – www.iifiir.org