Abstract
Summary from side event at MOP 28 Montreal Protocol in Kigali on 13 October: Opportunities for A5 Countries to Leapfrog to Long-Term Sustainable Alternatives Based on Natural Refrigerants
The joint Indo-Norwegian arranged side-event on "Opportunities for A5 Countries to Leapfrog to Long-Term Sustainable Alternatives Based on Natural Refrigerants" was a success. Honourable Minister Anil Madhav Dave of India and honourable Minister Vidar Helgesen of Norway opened the side event. About 100 participants attended the event.
Natural working fluids were highlighted as viable, energy efficient and technologically sound alternatives for many applications, also at high ambient temperatures. This was e.g. exemplified by the introduction of small air conditioning units with hydrocarbons as refrigerant by the Indian company Godrej.
Several speakers stressed that natural refrigerants have the potential to:
• Avoid transition to substances that will have to be phased down soon, due to their high GWP values.
• Avoid the uncertainty associated with conversion to a 4th generation of halocarbons, substances not occurring naturally in the biosphere, and thereby potentially giving need for another conversion in the future due to consequences unaware of today. This would be in line with the precautionary principle.
In order to encourage further development and penetration of natural refrigerants, some important points were highlighted:
• Incentives to natural refrigerants help them to better compete with other alternatives until they are fully commercialised:
o A GWP tax is one example, encouraging the industry to leapfrogging by applying natural refrigerants instead of a refrigerant with significant GWP as alternative to ODS.
o Choose systems based on natural refrigerants in governmental purchasing when feasible, is another example.
• The importance of supporting research, development and training related to natural refrigerants.
• Initiate a review of standards related to refrigerants, e.g. hydrocarbons, to conform them in a best possible way to support increased uptake of natural refrigerants. Current standards may be too stringent for some uses.
The joint Indo-Norwegian arranged side-event on "Opportunities for A5 Countries to Leapfrog to Long-Term Sustainable Alternatives Based on Natural Refrigerants" was a success. Honourable Minister Anil Madhav Dave of India and honourable Minister Vidar Helgesen of Norway opened the side event. About 100 participants attended the event.
Natural working fluids were highlighted as viable, energy efficient and technologically sound alternatives for many applications, also at high ambient temperatures. This was e.g. exemplified by the introduction of small air conditioning units with hydrocarbons as refrigerant by the Indian company Godrej.
Several speakers stressed that natural refrigerants have the potential to:
• Avoid transition to substances that will have to be phased down soon, due to their high GWP values.
• Avoid the uncertainty associated with conversion to a 4th generation of halocarbons, substances not occurring naturally in the biosphere, and thereby potentially giving need for another conversion in the future due to consequences unaware of today. This would be in line with the precautionary principle.
In order to encourage further development and penetration of natural refrigerants, some important points were highlighted:
• Incentives to natural refrigerants help them to better compete with other alternatives until they are fully commercialised:
o A GWP tax is one example, encouraging the industry to leapfrogging by applying natural refrigerants instead of a refrigerant with significant GWP as alternative to ODS.
o Choose systems based on natural refrigerants in governmental purchasing when feasible, is another example.
• The importance of supporting research, development and training related to natural refrigerants.
• Initiate a review of standards related to refrigerants, e.g. hydrocarbons, to conform them in a best possible way to support increased uptake of natural refrigerants. Current standards may be too stringent for some uses.