Tag: refrigerant

Vehicle wreckers in Spain have been accused of emitting in excess of 76,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalents by not properly disposing of refrigerant.  The emissions, created by the negligent or illegal venting of air-conditioning systems, are reputed to be equivalent to driving a single car some 800 million km. The Spanish Central Prosecutor’s Office for … Continue reading Spanish wreckers caught venting

A report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) is highlights both direct and indirect emissions caused by automotive air-conditioning, recommending governments take a holistic approach to addressing these issues that includes the adoption of low-GWP refrigerants, improved system efficiency and increased vehicle electrification. Few reports of this kind cover both direct and indirect emissions, usually … Continue reading Auto-AC has big energy role to play in reducing emissions

The red R134a sticker on a refrigerant line fitting in the image above is found under the bonnet of a cutting-edge electric vehicle that is selling well in Australia. The Hyundai Kona. Inset is a J639 label from another hi-tech EV, the Jaguar I-Pace, sold in Australia carrying 850 grams of R134a. The Kona uses … Continue reading Car-makers keep using high-GWP refrigerant

A recently published report has detailed a range of potential refrigerant blends designed to replace R134a, which could serve as more environmentally friendly alternatives. The research, carried out by the US Government’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) laboratory, was focused on finding less harmful non- or marginally flammable R134a alternatives for military applications. … Continue reading More R134a alternatives on the horizon?

Greater efficiency from a smaller refrigerant charge Successful trials of a secondary loop car air-conditioning system could open the door to a range of alternative refrigerants with smaller charge sizes. Potential benefits to the consumer include improved fuel efficiency and lower servicing costs. As a global average, energy consumption by car air-conditioning is estimated at … Continue reading Secondary loop auto-AC trial results

Expert committee denounces lack of EC response to illegal, hazardous refrigerant import A new committee established to tackle the challenges of fluorinated greenhouse gas (F-gas) regulations has slated the European Commission’s handling of illegal refrigerants.  The ‘Initiative Coolektiv’, which is led by experts from companies such as Honeywell, Chemours and Westfalen, states that refrigerants equivalent … Continue reading Illegal refrigerant trade soldiers on

The end of Australian car production by Ford, Holden and Toyota has not resulted in greater uptake of R1234yf refrigerant, according to the latest Cold Hard Facts report commissioned by the Department of the Environment and Energy. Cold Hard Facts (CHF) is a detailed examination of the Australian refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) industry, with the … Continue reading Slow YF uptake increase since end of Aussie car-making

Unregulated CFC use threatens ozone recovery The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) has confirmed that the long-banned CFC-11, an ozone-depleting chemical, is being used in Chinese industry. The latest report from the EIA, titled Tip of the Iceberg: Implications of Illegal CFC Production and Use, categorically demonstrates that CFC-11 is being employed as a blowing agent … Continue reading Crackdown on illegal CFCs

Renewed call for global ban on disposable cylinders amid rising crime wave AS THE European phase-down of HFCs continues, the trade in illegal refrigerant is booming. This unscrupulous activity, seemingly spurred on by the reduction in the availability of high-global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants, is causing all manner of serious issues – ranging from theft … Continue reading Europe mired in illegal refrigerant trade