| It is not difficult to become a believer in | | | | European Research Commission Report of July |
| global warming. According to the U.S. | | | | 2001 "The cost of producing electricity from |
| National Climatic Data Center 2001 was the | | | | coal or oil would double if costs such as |
| second warmest year on record and it was the | | | | damage to the environment and health were |
| 23rd consecutive year of above normal | | | | taken into account". |
| temperatures. Perhaps most troubling is the | | | | |
| fact that the rate of temperature increase is | | | | The global movement to high efficiency is |
| accelerating. Add to this the data just | | | | accelerating just like the rate of |
| released from insurer Munich Re stating that | | | | temperature increase. But this is not all |
| deaths from natural disasters were more than | | | | that is changing. This second environmental |
| double in 2001 versus 2000 and insured losses | | | | threat of global warming is making it clear |
| were up more than 50%.UNEP estimates that the | | | | that we need to give combined consideration |
| extra economic costs of disasters | | | | to ozone depletion and global warming. But |
| attributable to global warming are running at | | | | more important is the need to focus on the |
| more than $300 billion annually. | | | | real issue which is the total environmental |
| | | | impact not address each individual |
| Some 180 countries are proceeding toward an | | | | environmental threat in isolation. This |
| expected ratification of the Kyoto Protocol | | | | includes the concept of environmental risk |
| by the end of this year. Of the six gases it | | | | exposure, which recognizes that there are |
| will control CO2 is by far the largest | | | | other environmental threats that are less |
| contributing nearly 90% of the global warming | | | | well understood today. However, there are "no |
| impact. The primary source of CO2 is the | | | | regrets" decisions we can make today (such as |
| burning of fossil fuels. Therefore the focus | | | | minimum refrigerant charge, minimum |
| on energy will continue to increase. | | | | atmospheric life refrigerants, etc.) to |
| | | | minimize these risks. |
| Throughout the world different methods are | | | | |
| being used to encourage reduced energy use. | | | | Combined consideration would place more |
| Japan has enacted the Energy Conservation Law | | | | emphasis on reducing the use of CFCs, which |
| in 1999 mandating huge efficiency | | | | are still being produced in developing |
| improvements by 2004 for nearly all air | | | | countries until 2010 in accordance with the |
| conditioning products. The U.S. has revised | | | | Montreal Protocol. Little attention is being |
| ASHRAE Standard 90.1 for buildings to raise | | | | given the large contribution to global |
| the minimum COP level for centrifugal | | | | warming from CFCs. Actions which cause |
| chillers from the current value of 5.2 to 6.1 | | | | confusion and delay the phaseout of CFCs |
| effective in October 2001. DOE and Green Seal | | | | cause increased environmental damage rather |
| have revised their recommended efficiency | | | | than lessening the environmental impact. |
| levels to an even higher level of 6.27. | | | | |
| | | | The other rapidly changing factor in the HVAC |
| Some countries use laws. Others use codes and | | | | industry is the shift to becoming a hermetic |
| standards. An increasing number of countries | | | | industry, where refrigerant is contained |
| are using environmental costing which | | | | throughout the life of a chiller and recycled |
| increases the price of energy thereby | | | | for further use when the chiller is replaced. |
| increasing the financial attractiveness of | | | | This simple understanding that "if it doesn't |
| high efficiency products. European countries | | | | get into the environment it does no harm" is |
| have been using such "carbon taxes" for more | | | | a powerful argument, which will lead to the |
| than a decade. However a rapidly growing | | | | continued use of the most efficient |
| trend in developing countries is the | | | | refrigerants in such closed hermetic |
| reduction of subsidies to energy industries | | | | applications as chillers. In just 15 years |
| "so prices more accurately reflect | | | | annual refrigerants emissions from chillers |
| environmental impacts" according to OECD's | | | | have been reduced from 25% to well below 1% |
| Environmental Strategy for the First Decade | | | | today. This defines a whole different world |
| of the 21st Century. | | | | than that which existed when the Montreal |
| | | | Protocol was crafted some 15 years ago. |
| China has shown leadership by reducing | | | | |
| subsidies to the coal industry from $24.5 | | | | But perhaps the most important change coming |
| billion in 1990 to $10 billion in 1996 | | | | to our industry is the realization that there |
| resulting in 7% emissions reduction while | | | | are no new or "perfect" refrigerants waiting |
| seeing a solid economic growth of 36%! China | | | | to be discovered. There are eight elements |
| is now moving aggressively into environmental | | | | that can be combined for use in a vapor |
| costing with the just announced (1/13/2002) | | | | compression cycle. All feasible combinations |
| 5-year environmental plan that commits 700 | | | | of these eight have been evaluated. The |
| billion yuan ($84 billion) to help protect | | | | reality is "what we have now is all there |
| the environment. The government will provide | | | | is". |
| the fist 65 billion yuan to initiate the | | | | |
| project but will apply the "polluter pays" | | | | This recognition is why we are now seeing a |
| principle for the rest. The "environmental | | | | shift from the search for a perfect |
| protection authorities will collect funds | | | | refrigerant to a search for the right |
| from the pollution-producing companies". The | | | | refrigerant(s) for the right application. |
| impact on the price of energy is not known at | | | | Said another way, the highest efficiency |
| this time. However it is clear that the | | | | refrigerants for the lowest emissions |
| addition of environmental costing will | | | | applications. Many in our industry call this |
| increase energy prices. According to a | | | | "Responsible Use". |