What’s happening in refrigerant August 2019?
- Refrigerant prices take a slight dip as NZU drops – with the market waiting on expected increases with the outcomes of the government’s review of the ETS.
- 1 January 2020 sees the HFC refrigerant phase down begin with the first step a 15% reduction in synthetic F Gas refrigerants as HFCs in New Zealand are reduced by 85 percent by 2036.
- R404a refrigerant stocks are coming under pressure and this will become an increasing issue given its high GWP. We are urgently recommending reviewing R404a systems to ensure they have a natural refrigeration transition plan and contingency plans for refrigerant supply in the short term.
- Transitional refrigerants are showing reductions in cooling performance and the choice of interim refrigerants when retrofitting is important; with the lifecycle of interim refrigerants becoming shorter. For example, R407F – introduced just 4 years ago, is already being withdrawn.
This will impact costs as systems require further retrofitting and total costs in planning for transitions to investments in natural systems should take this into account.
Planning for 2050 Zero Emissions?
Customer Showcase
Planning for refrigerant transition.
“Cool” investment by Eastland Port commissions New Zealand’s largest critically charged hydrocarbon refrigeration system.
Auckland, NZ (August 19, 2019) – Eastland Ports newest development is working to tackle climate change through investment in sustainable cooling systems. The Port is working with specialists EcoChill on a future proof cooling solution for an up and coming cold store conversion. This includes the design, build and installation of what will be New Zealand’s largest critically charged hydrocarbon refrigeration system delivering over 1 Megawatt of cooling power.
The system will provide cooling across two cool stores that are being created from the conversion of an existing cold store that is being retired at the Port’s Kaiti Beach Rd Site in Gisborne. The store will be set up to handle nearly 3.5 million kilograms of kiwifruit annually. Site preparation is currently underway and includes the installation of PIR panel to make good the old store and provide multiple rooms within the existing structure. Hand over is planned for the end of February 2020.
The system, thought to be the largest of its type in New Zealand, includes purpose built EcoChill engineered plant, designed with both a primary and secondary refrigerant, using critically charged hydrocarbon packaged chiller units. This approach has decreased the amount of refrigerant required to as little as ten percent of what would normally be used. The system will have a combined charge of 112kg across 8 circuits.
In choosing refrigerants the lower the Global Warming Potential (GWP), the lower the climate impact and Eastland Ports has made the choice to use hydrocarbon, a natural refrigerant with a GWP of just 2, versus synthetic Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) alternatives that can be as high as 3,922.
The use of a natural refrigerant will support the Port in its environmental impact goals and help future
Future Proof Your Refrigeration Investment
Looking to understand the cost of refrigerant? Do you have enough insurance cover on existing systems in case of an accident or failure?
Need to understand the risks future supply of synthetic refrigerants?
If you’d like to know more or are looking to understand how the changes occurring will affect you, please contact us.
