Hydrofluorocarbons

HYDROFLUOROCARBONS (HFCs)

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are synthetic greenhouse gases used primarily as refrigerants. They have high global warming potentials (GWPs) but no ozone-depleting potential. Although not chemically reactive in the lower atmosphere, they are potent short-lived climate pollutants with atmospheric lifetimes ranging from 10 to 40 years.

Phasing down HFCs under the Kigali Amendment offers significant climate mitigation potential without compromising cooling needs.

If the Kigali Amendment is not implemented, HFC demand is projected to rise sharply, with alarming climate implications:

Key Contributors to HFCs EMISSIONS

HFCs are mainly used in systems like refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and heat pumps, with common refrigerants including HFC-134a, HFC-404A, and HFC-410A

Refrigeration & Air Conditioning

HFCs are used as blowing agents in the production of foam products like insulation, packaging materials, and automotive parts, with HFC-245fa and HFC-134a being commonly used types.

Foam Blowing Agents

Certain fire suppression systems, particularly in clean rooms and data centers, utilize HFCs like HFC-227ea for their non-toxic and non-conductive properties.

Fire Extinguishers

HFCs are utilized as propellants in aerosol products, including spray paints, personal care items (e.g., deodorants, hair sprays), and other household products.

Aerosol Propellants

HFCs are employed as solvents in certain industrial cleaning processes and may be emitted during equipment manufacturing or disposal.

Industrial Applications

Emissions occur from leaks during installation, maintenance, or improper disposal of cooling systems, with venting during decommissioning adding to releases if refrigerants aren't recovered.

Leakage and Disposal

Mitigation Measures

Mitigating HFCs involves advancing sustainable cooling through efficient technologies, better refrigerant management, skilled workforce, and focused R&D initiatives.

Space Cooling

Enhancing space cooling through energy-efficient buildings, appliance standards, and inclusive policies can reduce cooling demand, lower emissions, and improve thermal comfort for all.

Promote wider penetration of climate responsive built spaces to bring thermal comfort through passive cooling.
Government support towards targeted programmes to enable thermal comfort for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Low-Income Groups (LIG).
Ensure 100% compliance with the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) for all new residential and commercial constructions; implement nationwide ECBC adoption and mandatory indoor temperature norms in commercial buildings.
Mandate star labelling for fans, introduce Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for evaporative coolers, and promote eco-labelling for all cooling appliances.
Institutionalize Demand Side Management with DISCOMs to replace inefficient air conditioners and drive adoption of energy-efficient appliances through incentives and awareness campaigns.
Encourage urban heat action plans for cities with populations over 2.5 million.
Promote thermal storage with cooling systems and adopt Time-of-Day power tariffs to manage peak load.
Support retrofits and improved O&M in existing buildings to cut cooling energy use and encourage adoption of alternative, not-in-kind cooling technologies.

Improving Cold Chain and Refrigerant Management:

Improving cold chain systems and refrigerant use helps cut emissions and energy demand. Using low-GWP refrigerants and efficient tech ensures sustainable cooling.

Promote energy-efficient cold chain infrastructure using low-GWP refrigerants and standardized designs for small, medium, and large facilities.
Develop safety standards for flammable and toxic refrigerants in cold storage, ensuring compliance with IEC 60335-2-40.
Implement programs to retrofit existing cold storages to reduce refrigerant demand, cooling load, and energy consumption.
Bring commercial refrigeration equipment like water coolers and freezers under BEE star ratings and periodically enhance energy efficiency norms for refrigerators.
Provide specialized training for cold chain professionals and farmers to improve technology utilization and pre/post-harvest produce management.
Develop and produce low-GWP refrigerants, including indigenous production of HFOs and blends of HFOs with HFCs.

Refrigerant Demand & Indigenous Production

Expanding indigenous production of low-GWP refrigerants and enforcing safety standards can reduce reliance on imports while ensuring safe and sustainable cooling practices.

Develop safety standards for flammable refrigerants based on IEC 60335-2-40.
Promote the production of low-GWP alternatives to high-GWP HFCs like R-404A and R-407C.
Support indigenous development and commercial-scale production of HFOs and low-GWP HFO-HFC blends.
Strengthen monitoring and enforcement of Petroleum & Explosives Safety Organization (PESO) regulations for disposable cylinders to ensure safety.

Transport air conditioning

Enhancing technician training, certification, and support in transport air conditioning ensures better service quality and promotes climate-friendly cooling solutions.

Assess nationwide demand for trained RAC service technicians and the quality of training institutions.
Encourage industry participation in training delivery and commitment to employ a fixed number of trained candidates while promoting government engagement to utilize certified technicians.
Develop online refresher courses on emerging technologies to enhance technician skills and implement universal mandatory certification for all technicians.
Introduce social security schemes providing health and life insurance for RAC technicians.
Launch customer awareness programs emphasizing the importance of hiring only certified technicians.

Research & Development

Promoting R&D in cooling technologies and low-GWP refrigerants can position India as a global hub for sustainable solutions, backed by institutional and scientific support.

Recognize cooling as a national thrust area and promote R&D in areas such as building design, new molecule development, equipment, servicing, and refrigerant management.
Establish a national R&D framework focused on low-GWP refrigerants and RAC to position India as a hub for energy-efficient cooling solutions.
Form a steering committee for R&D with representatives from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), and experts from academia and industry.
Create a supportive scientific environment for research on materials and refrigerants, particularly next-generation molecules and energy-efficient technologies like compressors and heat exchangers.

Benefits

Climate Benefits

Phasing down HFCs helps limit global warming and boosts energy efficiency, making cooling systems more sustainable and climate-friendly.

Significant Reduction in Radiative Forcing:
HFCs have high GWPs (hundreds to thousands), making them major contributors to radiative forcing. Phasing them down under the Kigali Amendment could avoid up to 0.5°C of global warming by 2100. India's Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) supports this by targeting a 20–30% reduction in cooling demand and refrigerant use by 2037–38, while promoting energy-efficient technologies and technician training.

Enhanced Energy Efficiency:
Transitioning to low-GWP alternatives often leads to improvements in energy efficiency. For instance, adopting advanced cooling technologies can result in significant electricity savings, thereby reducing indirect CO₂ emissions associated with energy production.

Health Benefits

Reducing HFC use and shifting to cleaner technologies can improve air quality, offering health co-benefits alongside climate gains.

Improved Air Quality:
While HFCs themselves are not major air pollutants, the processes involved in their production, use, and disposal can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other pollutants. Reducing reliance on HFCs and adopting cleaner technologies can improve air quality, leading to health co-benefits.

Economic Benefits

Phasing down HFCs can unlock trillions in climate-related savings while driving innovation, creating jobs, and opening new markets for sustainable technologies.

Substantial Economic Savings:
Implementing the Kigali Amendment is estimated to provide $37 trillion in climate benefits over its lifetime. Accelerating the HFC phasedown could increase these benefits to $41 trillion. These savings stem from reduced climate-related damages and health costs.

Incentivizing Innovation:
Policies like the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act encourage the development of next-generation technologies. This fosters economic growth by creating new markets and job opportunities in the manufacturing and servicing of climate-friendly alternatives.

Technological Benefits

Shifting to low-GWP refrigerants drives innovation in cooling technologies, resulting in better system performance, lower emissions, and reduced energy costs. environmental disruptions.

Advancements in Alternative Refrigerants:
Ongoing research into low-GWP refrigerants like hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) has enabled the development of climate-friendly alternatives.

For example, tetrafluoropropene-based gas mixtures are being explored for use in various applications, offering similar performance with significantly lower GWPs.

Enhanced System Performance:
Transitioning to low-GWP alternatives often necessitates the adoption of newer, more efficient technologies. This can lead to improved system performance, reduced energy consumption, and lower operational costs.