First published in Frozen & Refrigerated Buyer Magazine June 2015
But which new refrigerant, and when? Competing goals lead to indecision.
Now that the Environmental Protection Agency has finalized the country’s R-22 phaseout plan, supermarket refrigeration teams are trying to come to some conclusions about when and how to get out of R-22. The decision has gotten more complicated in terms of both replacement refrigerants and timing.
Many years ago, companies wanting to get a head start on R-22 retrofits only had to choose between R-404A and R-507A. Both were good for the ozone layer, but disastrous for the climate. Both more than doubled a system’s direct greenhouse gas impact. Of course, the broad majority of the population didn’t care much about climate change back then, and those who cared didn’t have any other alternative anyway. The refrigerant choice wasn’t good, but it was clear. In terms of timing, it was also clear that retrofits needed to be carried out before R-22 became scarce and expensive, so carrying out retrofits at a steady pace was key.
With the advent of the 407 series of refrigerants at the beginning of this decade, companies that cared about global warming had better refrigerant options in R-407A and R-407F. They were good for the ozone layer, and they had similar global warming potentials to the R-22 they were replacing. With the public’s interest in climate change on the rise, and pilot studies of the 407 series refrigerants indicating energy parity and an easier retrofit process, the choice was again clear: All retrofits should be carried out with one of the 407 series refrigerants. Supermarket companies retrofitted their leaky R-22 stores as they came up for remodel.Many years ago, companies wanting to get a head start on R-22 retrofits only had to choose between R-404A and R-507A. Both were good for the ozone layer, but disastrous for the climate. Both more than doubled a system’s direct greenhouse gas impact. Of course, the broad majority of the population didn’t care much about climate change back then, and those who cared didn’t have any other alternative anyway. The refrigerant choice wasn’t good, but it was clear. In terms of timing, it was also clear that retrofits needed to be carried out before R-22 became scarce and expensive, so carrying out retrofits at a steady pace was key.
Nowadays, companies have refrigerant choices galore, and while that is a good thing generally, it sure doesn’t make the decision process easy. The EPA has proposed to disallow the use of R-404A and R-507A for retrofits as of the beginning of next year. There are plenty of better choices. In addition to the 407 series of refrigerants, the chemical manufacturers are bringing HFO blends onto the market that are suitable for use as R-22 replacement refrigerants.
These blends have less of an impact on climate than the 407s, but they still aren’t exactly what one would call “low GWP.” Many supermarket companies are piloting the HFO blends now, so the industry should have good data available on the ease of the retrofit process with these refrigerants, as well as the verdict on their energy efficiency.
The difficult decision lies in the fact that the chemical manufacturers are already hinting at the future availability of HFO refrigerants that have little or no impact on global warming. That means that refrigeration teams face the decision of whether to retrofit into 407 or an HFO blend now, or if they should wait to retrofit when the really good choices for climate are available.
I’ve even heard suggestions that the best thing the EPA could do for the environment is to postpone the R-22 phaseout for a year or two. That way, supermarkets will be able to retrofit right into the best refrigerants for climate, as opposed to having to settle for a short-term solution that might, in and of itself, be on the EPA’s hit list of high GWP refrigerants later.
The suggestion reflects a lack of understanding of how the EPA rule-making process works, and there is zero chance that the EPA will postpone its phaseout plan. But supermarkets still must choose whether to postpone their retrofit plans based on the later availability of better alternatives. It’s hard to know the best course of action.
SMALL CONSOLATION
If it’s any consolation to those who face these complicated choices, there are plenty of supermarket companies not even thinking about R-22 retrofits yet. Before anyone refers in envy to the cliche that ignorance is bliss, consider the problems these companies are going to have in the future. Sticking one’s head in the sand is often temporarily easier than facing the problems at hand. Yes, the decision-making process is simpler for those people, but that is often because short-term indecision results in the lack of choices later. And the worst choice is always no choice.