China’s HFC emissions now represent more than 20 per cent of the global total, with research showing a 30-fold increase since 2005 that threatens international climate goals. A study published in Environmental Science & Technology found that combined emissions of three major HFCs reached 206.4 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2022, roughly equal to … Continue reading China’s HFC emissions exceed 20 per cent of global total
The European Union’s ambitious F-gas regulation, designed to slash emissions from the refrigeration and air-conditioning industry, is causing headaches at home and diplomatic friction abroad. In Denmark, trade body Dansk Køl & Varme has publicly slammed the Danish Chemicals Inspectorate for what it calls enforcement failures. The association says illegal refrigerant sales are happening openly … Continue reading Trade disputes, enforcement gaps plague EU F-Gas regs
Utah Senator Mike Lee has urged United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio to consider pulling the US out of the Montreal Protocol – and SightGlass understands American industry is taking the prospect seriously. In a letter dated 30 April 2025, Senator Lee cited scientific, economic, and geopolitical concerns, calling the treaty a “relic of … Continue reading Senator wants to cancel Montreal Protocol
By Refrigerants Australia executive director Dr Greg Picker Recent speculation about the availability and future of refrigerants prices, unnecessary scaremongering and misinformation has increased the level of concern and uncertainty among the industry. This article looks to provide insight into the context, background, impacts and what consumers can expect to see in the near future … Continue reading Cool heads prevail: Managing Australia’s refrigerant market
A line on page 38 of the fourth Cold Hard Facts report, commissioned by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, sums up six years of lost opportunity: “The service usage for small MAC is significant and represents almost 19% of all HFCs consumed on RAC equipment in 2022.” That year, 644.6 tonnes … Continue reading Cold Hard Facts and uncomfortable truths about Australia’s HFC phase-down
The European Union’s ambitious HFC phase-down continues to yield unintended consequences, with the lucrative black market for R134a and other regulated high global warming potential (GWP) products showing no signs of slowing down as smugglers capitalise on sky-rocketing prices caused by legislated quotas that restrict supply. Quota System Creates a Perfect Storm The EU’s fluorinated … Continue reading Unintended consequences: Europe faces endless whack-a-mole against refrigerant smugglers
The European rail industry is embracing R290, a hydrocarbon refrigerant with a global warming potential (GWP) of 3 for train HVAC systems. As well as aligning with the European Union’s F-Gas regulations and potential restrictions on PFAS substances, this shift marks a significant departure from high-GWP HFCs like R407C and R134a. Liebherr Transportation Systems, a … Continue reading Hydrocarbon-based railway HVAC does without secondary loop
Australia’s reputation as a global leader in lifecycle refrigerant management (LRM) took centre stage at the United Nations Thirty-Sixth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (MOP) and the Thirteenth Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention (COP) in Bangkok. Among the delegation was Ian Stangroome, a director of VASA and a board … Continue reading Montreal Protocol meeting highlights Australian refrigerant stewardship as envy of the world
Ford announced at the recent ATMOsphere MAC Summit in Berlin that it aims to tackle the challenge of electric vehicle thermal management with the use of R290-based full secondary loop heat pumps. Developed with Denso, the technology uses propane as a refrigerant and is said to surpass traditional direct expansion systems by demonstrating significant efficiency … Continue reading Ford and Denso explore hydrocarbon refrigerant for EV thermal management
Chemours and Honeywell have announced the development of a “retrofit approach for vehicles using the legacy R134a mobile air-conditioning refrigerant” that enables these systems to run R1234yf. As Honeywell rightly points out, there are hundreds of millions of cars on the roads “potentially leaking R134a every day.” Replacing all that refrigerant, with its global … Continue reading Retrofits to return: Why it won’t be simple
