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Refrigerants and blowing agents energy efficiency

The ratio of “indirect” energy-related emissions to “direct” refrigerant emissions varies between countries, depending on the carbon intensity of power generation, the leakage rate from different applications, and the GWP of the refrigerant [1]

The replacement of old equipment containing HFCs with high Global Warming Potentials (GWPs) by new installations and low-GWP alternatives, as well as not-in-kind solutions, has the potential for multiple positive effects on climate change. For example, the emissions of low-GWP alternatives will directly reduce projected radiative forcing of climate. Also, and thought to have greater potential climate benefit, the transition to new refrigerants is an opportunity to implement design changes for achieving higher energy efficiency and therefore lowering greenhouse gas emissions from energy use.

Changing the refrigerant alone would not drive significant energy efficiency improvements compared to the equipment used today. Depending on the equipment or system in use with a high-GWP refrigerant, UNEP expected only about ± 10% change in energy efficiency from switching to a low-GWP refrigerant (i.e., without concurrent changes to the equipment). However, the transition to new refrigerants provides an opportunity to implement energy-efficient design changes. Such change could lead to energy efficiencies, compared to current equipment, in the range of 10–70%.[2] Technology developments to improve energy efficiency are proceeding rapidly in all RACHP sectors and equipment using low and medium GWP refrigerants with enhanced energy efficiency is now available but not necessarily accessible in all countries [1].