Öko-RechercheBüro für Umweltforschung und -beratung GmbH
Consultation Forum: Preliminary results:
Availability of alternatives to HFCs in commercial
refrigeration in the EU
Service Contract
No 34.0201/2015/716695/SER/CLIMA.C.2
with DG CLIMA
Brussels / 01 December 2016
Prof. Kauffeld, Barbara Gschrey and Bastian Zeiger
Background
• Assessment of prohibition on multipack centralised
refrigeration for commercial use
• Input for EC report regarding Article 21(3)
• Mission: assess availability of cost-effective, technically feasible,
energy-efficient and reliable alternatives
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 2
Regulation (EU) No 517/2014
Annex III (13) prohibition:
“Multipack centralised refrigeration systems for commercial
use with a rated capacity of 40 kW or more that contain, or
whose functioning relies upon, fluorinated greenhouse gases
with GWP of 150 or more, except in the primary refrigerant
circuit of cascade systems where fluorinated greenhouse
gases with a GWP of less than 1500 may be used.”
31 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum
Approach
• Technology assessment led by Prof.
Kauffeld
• Analysis of affected systems and available
technological options
• Questionnaire to gather stakeholder input
• Dissemination directly and via industry
associations, events, meetings and
workshops
• Close dialogue with industry experts
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 4
Outreach and dissemination• Total of 17 questions on:
F-gas Regulation
State of technology
Alternative options
Feasibility and reliability
Energy efficiency
Cost effectiveness
Obstacles
• Outreach to >143 organisations in 19 EU
countries
• Refrigerant, component and equipment
manufacturers, end-users, consultants, NGOs
and research institutes were included
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 5
Feedback
• 39 responses (incl.18 from EU South)
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 6
manufacture of
equipment
33%
installation, service, repair
24%
use of
equipment
20%
consulting
7%
other
16%
State of technology
Natural refrigerants no longer a niche technology but HFCs still
dominate market
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 7
54%51%
46%41%
36%31%31%
28%28%28%
21%18%
13%10%10%10%
15%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Perc
enta
ge o
f re
spondents
HFC
Natural refrigerants
HFO and HFO/HFC-blends
other
State of technology
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 8
49%46%44%38%
31%
18%15%13%3%
15%
77%
44%36%
28%
59%
41%31%
23%
10%13%
54%
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
DX
R4
04
A
DX
R1
34
a +
stan
d-a
lon
e
CO
2 c
asca
de
Tran
scri
tica
l CO
2 (
LT+M
T)
Seco
nd
ary
circ
uit
Co
mp
act
CD
U (
+AC
)
Tran
scri
tica
l CO
2 (
MT)
2n
dar
y ci
rcu
it (
+CO
2 c
asca
de
)
2n
dar
y ci
rcu
it
oth
er c
en
tral
ized
Cen
tral
ize
d t
ota
l
R4
04
A
R1
34
a +
sta
nd
-alo
ne
oth
er C
DU
s
CD
Us
tota
l
R2
90
R4
04
A
R1
34
a
R6
00
a
oth
er s
tan
d-a
lon
e
Stan
d-a
lon
e to
tal
Centralized systems Condensingunits
Stand-alone systems
Perc
enta
ge o
f re
spo
nd
ents
Technical options for meeting the
prohibition
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 9
69% 67% 64%
75% 75%
94%
82%
55%
36%
58% 58%67%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Stand-alone systems Indirect systems Transcritical CO2
Perc
enta
ge o
f re
spondents
Total Manufacturers End-users Installation/servicing companies
Available technical options for meeting the
prohibition: Stand-alone systems
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 10
Sample system schematic System description Requirement for
system to fulfill
2022 prohibition
Stand-alone systems
(hermetically sealed)
(According to
Regulation (EU) No
517/2014 Annex III
(11) HFCs above
GWP 2500 are
prohibited from 1
January 2020 and
HFCs above GWP
150 from 1
January 2022 on.)
Available technical options for meeting the
prohibition: Indirect systems (i)
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 11
Sample system schematic System
description
Requirement for
system to fulfill
2022 prohibition
Indirect
centralised system
(i) Separate
secondary MT/LT
refrigeration
circuits
< 150 GWP
Available technical options for meeting the
prohibition: Indirect systems (ii)
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 12
Sample system schematic System description Requirement for
system to fulfill
2022 prohibition
Indirect
centralised system
(ii) Secondary MT
refrigeration
circuit and LT CO2
cascade
< 1,500 GWP in
primary circuit
and
< 150 GWP in other
circuits
Available technical options for meeting the
prohibition: Indirect systems (iii)
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 13
Sample system schematic System description Requirement for
system to fulfill
2022 prohibition
Indirect centralised
system
(iii) Secondary MT
refrigeration circuit
(e.g. pumped CO2)
and LT CO2 cascade
< 1,500 GWP in
primary circuit
and
< 150 GWP in
other circuits
Available technical options for meeting the
prohibition:Transcritical CO2
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 14
Sample system schematic System description Requirement
for system to
fulfill 2022
prohibition
Transcritical CO2
Feasibility and reliability of available
technical options
• Stand-alone:
– Millions of units in light commercial applications in the World
– Semi plug-ins possible
– Charge size limitations for flammables
• Indirect centralised systems
– Very common in industrial applications
– Used in supermarkets in SE, NO, LU, CH since 1990s
– Recently R290 chillers in DE, UK, BE and CH
– NH3/CO2 cascades possible
• Transcritical CO2
– Standard technology in many parts of EU
– Efficiency improvements enabled installations in ES, IT and PT
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 15
Cost effectiveness (i)
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 16
36% 33%
13%8% 5% 5% 3%
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Perc
enta
ge o
f re
spondents
40-100 kW
56%
15% 13% 10% 8% 5%0%
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Perc
enta
ge o
f re
spondents > 100 kW
Cost effectiveness (ii)
• Stand-alone already cost-
competitive especially in small and
medium stores
• CO2 cascades with NH3,
propylene, propane or HFOs and
pumped CO2 cost-competitive in
large stores and hypermarkets
• Transcritical CO2 already cost-
competitive even in large stores
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 17
Cost effectiveness (iii)
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 18
Source: Frigo-consulting AG
Cost effectiveness (iv)
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 19
Source: Advansor
Energy efficiency (i)
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 20
28%
21%
8%5%
3%0% 0%
0%5%
10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%
Perc
enta
ge o
f re
spondents
40-100 kW
23%
8% 8% 8%3%
0% 0%0%5%
10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%
Perc
enta
ge o
f re
spondents
> 100 kW
Energy efficiency (ii)
• Case studies and experts indicate:
– Transcritical CO2 offers 7-30% energy savings
– Semi plug-ins offer around 20% savings
• Heat recovery can further increase energy savings
• Some respondents indicated HFC systems as most
energy efficient
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 21
Southern Europe
• Assessment also focused on Southern Europe
• R134a/CO2 currently most used alternative
– No longer available from 2022 on!
• Transcritical CO2 can be efficient and already operates in ES, PT and IT
• Stand-alone systems (CO2 and HCs) also already operate efficiently in
warm and hot regions globally
• Indirect centralised systems:
– Experience from South Africa and US suggest NH3/CO2 cascades are efficient
in warm climates
– Likewise CO2 cascade with glycol loop and R134a in primary operates
efficiently in Brazil
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 22
Detailed case studies
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 23
Stand-alone
Indirect centralised
Transcritical CO2
Obstacles named by survey participants
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 24
26%
21%18%
28%
15%
8% 8% 8%
18%
23%
13%
8%10%
5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Perc
enta
ge o
f re
spondents
40-100 kW > 100 kW
Conclusions (i)
• Successful outreach to many stakeholders (conferences,
surveys, meetings with associations)
• A clear definition of systems subject to the prohibition is
available
• Three system design options available today which do not
fall under the prohibition
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 25
40-100kW >100kW
Transcritical CO2
Stand-alone systems
Indirect centralised systems
Conclusions (ii)
• Take away messages:
– Current and fast-paced development of alternative
technologies
– Multiple technically feasible, energy-efficient and
reliable alternatives available for all store formats
– Cost effectiveness reached or will be reached by 2022
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum 26
27
Thank you for your attention!
Questions…???
oekorecherche.de
Links:
Resources for this project:
http://oekorecherche.de/de/projekte-referenzen/unterstuetzung-der-eu-f-gas-politik
Information regarding EU F-gas policy:http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/f-gas/index_en.htm
1 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum
Supermarkets –
prohibited after 2022 ban
281 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum
DX-systems
Cascade CO2
291 December 2016 F-Gas Consultation Forum
Secondary MT/LT
refrigeration circuit
Secondary MT
refrigeration circuit
and LT CO2 cascade
Supermarkets –prohibited after 2022 ban