Refrigerant report underlines need for further efforts

The latest Cold Hard Facts report, just released, confirms that Australia has now very likely passed “peak bank” in terms of both total volume of refrigerant and its GWP value. But it also highlights segments of the refrigerant market that may require more attention, and the need for ongoing effort to restrict emissions.

Since 2007, the Cold Hard Facts series of reports have been the HVAC&R industry’s go-to publication for measuring the magnitude and impact of the sector. The big takeaway from the most recent report is that Australia has probably passed “peak bank”. In other words, our total quantity of refrigerant is now starting to shrink, and with it, the associated emissions. This will be seen by many as positive news, and proof that Australia’s HFC phase-down is working. It is also a result of global efforts to curtail emissions, and the subsequent transition to new refrigerants and more efficient equipment designs.

Looking at specific segments of the market, another highlight is the continued rapid transition away from R410A to R32 in air conditioners. For the first time, R32 overtook R410A in pre-charged equipment imports, and the R410A share of the bank stopped growing. Although this is most notable in the split system segment, the report notes that R32 is also being used in larger applications, including split ducted systems and chillers with charges up to 100kg. The lower GWP of R32, and smaller charge sizes, have helped reduce Australia’s overall bank.

Hydrocarbons are signalled as another growth refrigerant, especially in applications with charge sizes under 150g such as refrigerated display cabinets and portable air conditioners. In the case of the latter, as of July 1, 2021, 83 per cent of portable air conditioners registered with GEMS contained hydrocarbons.

But the transition to natural or alternative low-GWP synthetic refrigerants is not happening as quickly in other sectors. The report notes that despite a concerted move by major supermarket chains to deploy trans-critical CO₂ systems, demand for R404A remains strong, with more than 850 tonnes used for service and new equipment – consistent with the past five years.

Given its high GWP of 3,922, there is concern that R404A is still so heavily used. Some have suggested more targeted government measures are required to reduce this “stubborn” refrigerant.

Another issue for Australia has been the reliance on R134A in mobile air conditioning, when other parts of the world have already transitioned to the lower-GWP HFO refrigerant R1234yf. The report notes that R1234yf is finally starting to appear, though still in relatively small quantities. Of the 917,000 new vehicles imported into Australia in 2020, less than 15 per cent were estimated to contain R1234yf. Again, this segment is a potential candidate for more direct government action.

Overall, the report notes that the bank has become more diverse as a wide range of alternative refrigerants emerge.

There is also a note of caution, that although Australia has probably passed peak bank, there is still plenty of work to do. The report points to a recent CSIRO study indicating that HFC emissions have been growing at 5 per cent per annum since 2005.

“With an existing refrigerant bank in installed equipment that has a total global warming potential of approximately 100 million tonnes (Mt) CO₂e,” reads the report, “efforts at improved containment and effective recovery of refrigerants will be important to continue to drive down the total environmental impact of RAC services in Australia.”

To read Cold Hard Facts 2021, click here.