Sustainable cooling technologies
All around the world, air-conditioning and refrigeration systems have long relied on using climate-damaging fluorinated refrigerants. The ongoing phase-out of HCFCs in developing countries and the newly adopted global HFC phase down offers opportunities to adopt energy efficient climate-friendly alternatives. Coupling energy efficiency with the HFC phasedown can significantly increase the climate benefits of the Kigali Amendment.
The problem
Cooling systems such as refrigeration and air-conditioning have two aspects to their climate impact: Direct Emissions from refrigerant leakage and Indirect Emissions from the energy used to power the system.
Indirect emissions can contribute as much as 60-80 per cent of the climate impact, depending on the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of the refrigerant and how prone to leakage it is.
As global temperatures rise alongside income levels in the developing world, the demand for air-conditioners is set to explode. To ensure this demand can be met without devastating climate impacts, it is vital that cooling systems are as sustainable as possible. The current refrigerant transitions under the Montreal Protocol are an opportunity to simultaneously address efficiency issues, reaping a double climate benefit.
We are working to encourage countries and businesses to adopt future-proof, sustainable, climate-friendly technologies.