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GRANT LAIDLAW Grant Laidlaw is currently the owner of the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Academy (ACRA) in Edenvale. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and an associate degree in educational administration. He has a National Technical Diploma and completed an apprenticeship with Transnet. He has dual-trades status: refrigeration and electrical. He has been involved with SAIRAC for over two decades and served on the Johannesburg committee as chairman and was also president between 2015 and 2018. Currently he is the SAIRAC national treasurer

Many people ask for assistance in the understanding of theoretical and practical aspects of the industry. We are going back to basics as I have questions coming in that indicate that the basic understanding necessary to work in the industry is not in place.

The chart below looks at the Montreal Protocol control measures.

Notes

1. The above applied with the exception of a very small number of internationally agreed essential uses that are considered critical to human health and/or laboratory and analytical procedures.
2. Up to 0.5% of base level consumption can be used from 2020 until 2030 for servicing existing refrigeration and air conditioning equipment.
3. Up to 2.5% of base level consumption can be used until 2040 for servicing existing equipment, subject to review in 2025.
4. All reductions include an exemption for pre-shipment and quarantine uses.
5. Some countries with economies in transition have a slightly delayed start to the HFC phase-down but catch up to other developed party commitments by 2029.
6. Some developing countries have a delayed start to the HFC phase-down, starting their freeze in 2028 instead of 2024 and finishing at 85% reduction by 2047.

More notes:

1. The timetable set by the Montreal Protocol applies to bulk consumption of ozone depleting substances. Consumption is defined as the quantities manufactured plus imported, less those quantities exported in any given year. Percentage reductions relate to the designated ‘base year’ for the substance. The Montreal Protocol does not forbid the use of existing or recycled controlled substances beyond the phase out dates.
2. Further information on these ozone depleting substances can be seen in the United Nations Environment Programme Ozone Secretariat’s Handbook for the International Treaties for the Protection of the Ozone Layer.

Kigali amendment on hfc phase-down

While the global HCFC phase-out process is progressing, the most common alternatives to HCFCs that have zero ODP values – hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), unsaturated HFCs (HFOs), hydrocarbons (HCs), ammonia or CO2 – are gradually being phased in.

Due to their specific features like non-flammability, chemical inertness, relatively low cost and excellent performance as refrigerants, foam blowing agents, aerosol propellants or solvents, HFCs have become the major replacements for HCFCs over the last decade.

In 2015, an estimated 525 000 metric tons of HFCs were produced and consumed globally. These refrigerants are used in a wide variety of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) equipment.

At talks in Kigali, Rwanda, in October 2016, 196 countries that are parties to the Protocol reached an agreement that will see 85% of the world’s HFCs phased out. Aiming at protecting the climate and the ozone layer, the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol will be an even more powerful instrument against global warming. The amendment entered into force on 1 January 2019. The impact of the amendment will avoid up to 0.5°C increase in global temperature. In August 2019, South Africa ratified the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.

The current generation of HFC refrigerants, when released to the atmosphere, have significant GWP. Unlike CFCs, HFCs do not have an effect on the ozone, but their potency as greenhouse gases does not make them suitable long-term alternatives to CFCs.

The phase-down schedule is detailed below (for developing countries such as South Africa the schedule to follow is as group 1): Historically we have seen that the international market drives the phase down through reducing and ceasing to supply systems utilising the refrigerant being phased down and out.

This implies that although South Africa is a group 1 article 5 country the supply of HFC systems will reduce at a rate closer to the non-article 5 countries. This process may be somewhat delayed as suppliers ship excess HFC systems into article 5 countries but as manufacturing of HFC systems comes to an end this will be a temporary situation.

Hydrofluorocarbons uses

South Africa does not produce but rather imports all HFCs. What are HFCs? They are synthetic greenhouse gases, primarily used in domestic and commercial refrigeration, cold storage, food processing, transport and industrial refrigeration, air conditioning, heat pumps, chillers and air conditioning equipment – but also in the fire protection foam blowing and aerosols and for medical and veterinary use.

HFCs refrigerants were commonly used as alternatives to ODSs (ozone depleting substances). HFCs do not harm the ozone layer but are potent greenhouse gases. HFCs have high GWP ranging up to 14 800, raising concern about their impacts as they become increasingly used as replacements for ODSs, and as economic growth spurs demand for new equipment, especially in the refrigeration and air-conditioning sector.

These chemicals have no known natural sources. Thus, HFCs are present in the atmosphere because they were used to comply with the provisions of the Montreal Protocol. The use of HFCs is increasing rapidly as a result of global economic development and population growth.

Environmental impact caused by hfcs

HFCs are a subset of a larger group of climate changing gases called greenhouse gases. Taken together, greenhouse gases are expected to warm the planet by 1.4°C to 5°C by the end of century. Subsequently HFCs, contribute an estimated 11.5% to present-day effect of greenhouse gases on climate and climate change.

Some effects of global climate change include:

• Increase of the average temperature of the Earth
• Loss of agricultural output (food security) due to drought
• More frequent heavy rainfall and flooding
• Loss of land area including beaches, wetlands due to sea level rise
• Increasing health risk from insect and water-borne diseases

James, this sums up the current situation: we foresee hydrocarbons entering more and more into the market, in many instances replacing HFCs. As the world moves towards natural refrigerants, we may find that the refrigerants of the near future are Ammonia, CO2, HCs and possibly HFOs.

Thanks to everybody for the overwhelming response. I receive many questions each month and cannot publish all of them. But keep them coming, as I may answer you directly. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Raca references

1. ACRA
2. A-Gas
3. UNIDO
4. Department of forestry, fisheries and the environment
5. HPMP South Africa