AN UPDATE ON FLUOROCARBONS

Dear subscribers,

We hope you enjoyed reading the September issue.

In this EFCTC October 2024 Newsletter, we report on the use of HFO-1234yf as refrigerant for reefers, also called “refrigerated containers”. Refrigerated containers are used for goods that should be kept at controlled temperature shipping. Reefer containers are equipped with a refrigeration unit that is connected to the power supply. Most reefers use non-flammable refrigerants, mainly HFC-134a, with some retrofittable to R-513A. Another ultra-low GWP refrigerant is now is available as reefers, which is the A2L -  HFO-1234yf, in addition to HFC-134a and R-513A.

As you well know, we follow very closely all the discussions happening at international level. In response to a Decision by the parties to the Montreal Protocol, the Scientific Assessment Panel (SAP and the Technical and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) to Montreal Protocol have published reports in September 2024 about the sources and emissions of HFC-23. There reports are discussed in four news items. 

You might remember the articles mentioned in our September issue about HFC-23. If not, we invite you to clink on the LINK.

The SAP HFC-23 report provides independent comments on two recent papers about the generation of HFC-23 from breakdown of some HFCs, HFOs and HCFOs in the atmosphere. These two papers were discussed in detail in the September 2024 EFCTC newsletter, and the SAP report has similar conclusions. In addition, The SAP and TEAP HFC-23 reports are complementary and discuss emissions of HFC-23 from atmospheric monitoring compared to the combined reported and best available annual estimate of HFC-23 emissions from known emissions sources. The emission gaps after 2015 are substantially larger than can be explained by emissions from all known sources and reported abatements. Finally, the SAP Report also discusses in detail the yields and formation (flux) of HFC-23 from the photolysis of CF3CHO (an intermediate breakdown product of some HFCs, HFOs and HCFOs) and ozonolysis of some HFOs and estimates an upper limit for HFC-23 emissions, meaning that the actual value could be substantially smaller. 

Do you want to learn more about EFCTC and fluorocarbons? More information is on the fluorocarbons.org website.

Thank you for your continued interest in EFCTC. Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact the ECFTC secretariat! Enjoy the reading!

Transport refrigerated containers (reefers) now available with HFO-1234yf

Fruits and vegetables, meat, fish (fresh or frozen), milk and dairy products, flowers, pharmaceuticals, juice and concentrate and other products chocolate are often transported in a reefer container, also called “refrigerated containers”. Refrigerated containers are designed to maintain the temperature, humidity and atmosphere of the container at a constant value during the shipping. Keeping stable these features is very important to guarantee good quality of the transported products and ensure the best possible shelf life.

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SAP report: Paper by Pérez-Peña et al. for HFC-23 yield estimated from HFO-1234ze is likely too large by a factor of ~5 due to an apparent misinterpretation of results

The output from any atmospheric model depends on the input data. In this paper the use of 0.3% and 1% HFC-23 quantum yields directly results in the conclusion that HFC-23 yields are significant. the values were selected as Perez-Peña et al. tested two quantum yields for the HFC-23 channel, 0.3% was chosen to reflect the values in the Andersen paper [2] reported as an upper limit at 1 bar. 1% was the extrapolated value by Campbell [4] and chosen to reflect a realistic upper bound.” The following sections go into more detail on these choices.

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SAP report comments on review by Salierno for generation of HFC-23 from TFA

The EFCTC September newsletter item [1] reflects on the review by Salierno ‘On the Chemical Pathways Influencing the Effective Global Warming Potential of Commercial Hydrofluoroolefin Gases’ [2].  Salierno proposes that trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) decarboxylation by three different mechanisms can generate HFC-23. These proposed mechanisms are reviewed in the newsletter item, plus some data on emissions of HFC-23 derived from atmospheric monitoring and comments on the lack of known degradation pathways for TFA in environmental aqueous phases.

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Latest SAP and TEAP reports on HFC-23 emissions and sources

The UBA report “Analysis of current seawater samples for trifluoroacetic acid” [1] comments that “However, a comparison of the recent and historical data was only possible to a limited extent. This was mainly due the uncertain quality and robustness of the TFA data determined in previous studies and the differences in the sampling sites.” Even so, it is worth exploring if the apparent increase in TFA oceanic concentrations could be a result of anthropogenic TFA.

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SAP Report: Photo-chemical production of HFC-23 in the atmosphere

The Report of the Scientific Assessment Panel (SAP) in response to Decision XXXV/7: Emissions of HFC-23 [1], published  September 2024, discusses in detail the yields and formation (flux) of HFC-23 from the photolysis of CF3CHO (and intermediate breakdown product of some HFCs, HFOs and HCFOs) and ozonolysis of some HFOs.

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F-gas regulation and Implementing Acts

In response to the European Climate Law and the need for stronger climate action, the European Commission reviewed the 2014 F-gas Regulation and, on 7 April 2022, proposed a new regulation to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.

Building on the success of its predecessor, the F-gas Regulation (EU) 2024/573 was adopted on 7 February 2024 and started to apply on 11 March 2024.

Besides the F-gas Regulation, the EU Commission has ben working on a series of Implementing Acts.

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