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Last changed: 5/01/12
The areas of application of fluorinated greenhouse gases are diverse and go beyond those of ozone-depleting substances (ODSs).
Generally, a distinction is drawn between their use in largely closed cycles (e.g. as refrigerant), in open systems (e.g. as propellant) or as process gas (e.g. in the production of semi-conductors). Areas of application of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are stationary and mobile refrigeration and air-conditioning units (as refrigerant), insulating materials/foam (as blowing agent) and aerosols (as propellant). Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) are specifically used in the production of semi-conductors and circuit boards (as etching gas). Furthermore, they are a product of the manufacture of aluminium. Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is not a substitute for ODSs. It has been in use since the late 1960s. It is used in a large variety of applications, like double-glazing applications (as insulating gas), electrical equipment (as insulating and arc quenching gas), and magnesium foundries (as cover gas).
In many areas of application, halogen-free ODS substitutes established themselves right from the beginning, for example, as solvents or cleaning agents, as refrigerants, as fire extinguishing agents and in many areas of foam production. However, some products and processes based on halogen-free substances have only in recent years reached a technical level which makes their use economically and ecologically viable. This applies e.g. to the use of CO2 as refrigerant and the use of halogen-free blowing agents in the foam production. Today, these techniques can fully replace processes and products that were based on fluorinated gases and were indispensable at the time.
In light of the imminent ban on refilling refrigeration units with the ozone-depleting refrigerant HCFC 22, conversions in supermarkets’ refrigeration systems are expected. The federal government seeks to avoid a switch to harmful fluorinated hydrocarbons (F-gases) and, instead, channel any changes towards more climate-friendly refrigerants, e.g. CO2, ammonia (NH3) or hydrocarbons. Any new construction of supermarkets, where refrigeration systems that use f-gases are usually installed, is also to be steered towards use of more ecological refrigerants and energy-efficient units. The Incentive programme for commercial refrigeration in German as part of the Climate Protection Initiative introduced by the Federal Ministry for Environment aims to bring that goal closer.
The European Commission is debating at European and international level the broad regulation of fluorinated greenhouse gases (so-called F-gases), which is to include restrictions on their production and applications. UBA sees a necessity for unequivocal, internationally binding regulation so as to prevent a global increase of F-gas emissions. The 2010 updated UBA report Avoiding Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases – Prospects for Phasing Out shows that measures to prevent and substitute these F-gases are feasible and have in part been implemented. The report details emissions development, the standard of technology in various applications, substitute materials and processes, as well as technical measures to reduce emissions.
For the applications “Supermarket Refrigeration“ PDF / 1,20 MB, “Mobile Air Conditioning” PDF / 1,38 MB and “Fixed Fire Protection Systems” PDF / 1,12 MB the most important facts are compiled in factsheets. In another factsheet PDF / 846 KB UBA proposes a classification of substitutes based on their global warming potential (GWP) and discusses this proposal in the context of other proposals.
The study “Comparative Assessment of the Climate Relevance of Supermarket Refrigeration Systems and Equipment”, published in September 2008, provides a comprehensive overview of HFC-free refrigeration systems and equipment for supermarkets offered and applied in Europe. The energy efficiency and economics of HFC-free systems are compared with those of conventional systems. Furthermore, the study gives an overview of the greenhouse gas emissions from refrigeration systems used in the food retail industry. For this purpose, the authors carried out Total Equivalent Warming Impact (TEWI) analyses for selected model technologies and different scenarios for three store categories: discounters, supermarkets, and hypermarkets. The TEWI analyses are based on input data approved by a large pool of experts. On the basis of the TEWI results specific CO2 abatement costs were calculated. Overall, the TEWI analyses show that refrigeration systems that contain natural halogen-free refrigerants have the best climate balance of all currently available technologies. At present, the specific CO2 abatement costs are still high in some cases, but the costs for the systems will decrease considerably in the near future as mass production increases and conventional systems with halogenated synthetic refrigerants will have to meet progressively stricter standards for leakproofness.
This report is available in German and English. The technology data sheets (Annex) are available in German only.
Another study, entitled "Risks and benefits of fluorinated greenhouse gases in techniques and products under special consideration of the properties intrinsic to the substance", looks into the effects of fluorinated greenhouse gases in the environment and assesses their use on the basis of two examples (supermarket refrigeration systems and insulation materials). This report is also available in German and English.
The Kyoto Protocol under the Framework Convention on Climate Change covers not only the greenhouse gases CO2, methane and nitrous oxide but also the fluorinated gases hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), perfluocarbon (PFC), and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). Substances from the HFC group are the main substitutes for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). HFC 134a is the most significant substitute, representing roughly three quarters of world-wide HFC production [AFEAS 2007). HFC 134a serves mainly as refrigerant, it is also known as R-134a, the ‘r’ standing for "refrigerant". In Germany, R-134a is mostly used in mobile air conditioning (a/c) systems. In 2008, passenger cars accounted for 85 % of refrigerant emissions from mobile air conditioning systems (Öko-Recherche 2010).
In 2001, Öko-Recherche conducted a study to establish emission rates of the refrigerant R 134a (tetrafluoroethane) from mobile air conditioning systems. The study aimed to determine annual emissions of R-134a from mobile a/c systems by using empirical-statistical data on mobile air conditioning units of up to seven years old cars. The basic reference were records kept by garages on quantities of refrigerant extracted from, and put into, vehicle a/c systems.
The GTZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit) has published an English-language publication entitled ”Natural Refrigerants – Sustainable Ozone- and Climate-Friendly Alternatives to HCFCs” as part of its ”Proklima” environment programme. In 31 articles, policymakers, scientists and industry representatives describe the legal and policy framework, evaluate the use of natural refrigerants for various applications and present projects in which refrigeration systems were successfully converted to natural refrigerants.
PFC-free refrigerator: Coca-Cola refrigerates with CO2 in German
ProCool: Plug-in refrigerators for the beverage and food industry can be operated without the use of climate-damaging refrigerants and insulation materials. They even consume less energy. The EU "ProCool in German" competition, a project supported by the European Commission in the context of LIFE promotional programme, awarded three European manufacturers for development of ecological and energy efficient refrigerator and freezer equipment for commercial use in April 2006.