NEW REPORT : EU GHG EMISSIONS FROM REFRIGERATION AND AIR CONDITIONING SET TO DECREASE FURTHER

According to a new Report from French research institutes ARMINES/ERIE, commissioned by EPEE, Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissions from refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pump equipment have decreased since 1990 and are set to decrease even further in the coming 20 years. The ARMINES/ERIE study indeed shows that by fully implementing the EU F-Gas Regulation, emissions reduction in 2030 will even exceed the EU Commission’s forecast by roughly 15%.

According to a new Report from French research institutes ARMINES/ERIE, commissioned by EPEE, Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissions from refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pump equipment have decreased since 1990 and are set to decrease even further in the coming 20 years. The ARMINES/ERIE study indeed shows that by fully implementing the EU F-Gas Regulation, emissions reduction in 2030 will even exceed the EU Commission’s forecast by roughly 15%.

Despite more than a doubling of the refrigerant bank over the past 10 years, GHG emissions have already decreased substantially by more than 13 % in terms of CO₂-equivalent emissions, clearly showing that the containment principle of the F-Gas Regulation has already started to deliver.

There is also scope for further significant reductions of GHG emissions, through introduction of lower GWP refrigerants, improvement of emissions rates, lower refrigerant charges and better end of life refrigerants recovery.

Refrigerant emissions will further decline by reducing the quantity of HFC refrigerants placed on the market via a phase-down scheme based on their CO₂ equivalent content.

EPEE insists however that no sacrifice must be made in terms of energy efficiency, safety and affordability of future solutions.

• Switching deliberately to low GWP would add considerably to costs and could have safety implications.
• Whilst F-Gases only make up for 1.8 % of EU greenhouse gas emissions, CO₂ contributes to over 80% generated to a large extent by energy consumption. Refrigerant bans or GWP-based prescribed refrigerants could therefore be counterproductive leading to higher energy consumption and increasing emissions.