C O M P A N YO V E R V I E W

Australian Refrigeration Association (ARA)Energy Ef f iciency in the HVACR industry

W r i t t e n b y : T i m E d w a r d s

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Australian Refrigeration Association (ARA)Energy Ef f iciency in the HVACR industry

W r i t t e n b y : T i m E d w a r d s

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AUSTRALIAN REFRIGERATION ASSOCIATION (ARA)

The Role Of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning in Energy Efficiency and GHG Emissions Reduction Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC&R) is obviously an important contributor to economic performance and the quality of life. It is seldom recognised as an industry

and its contribution to energy consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) is broadly misunderstood and understated.

The industry makes a central contribution to fundamental industries including the built environment, food production

Tim Edwards and the next generation

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AUSTRALIAN REFRIGERATION ASSOCIATION (ARA)

and distribution, healthcare and pharmaceuticals and virtually all other human activities. The importance of the HVAC&R industry in Australia is demonstrated by the following statistics :• 45Mindividualinstallations• 2%ofGDP,$26Bannual

spend,$6BcapitalinvestmentPA,perhaps$100BinstalledHVAC&Rinfrastructureatcurrent$value• 22%ofelectricityconsumption• 12/14ofnationalCO2e

emissions (GHG emissions) • 20,000firms,170,000direct

employees, of whom about 70,000arelicensedtohandlefluorocarbon refrigerants.

This same level of development is apparent throughout the industrialised world and is rapidly being realized in developing countries reflecting the fundamental role of HVAC&R in economic development. The industry offers majorsourcesofenergyefficiencyand the resulting cost savings throughout the world.

HVAC&R Climate Change Impact The contribution of HVAC&R to greenhouse gas emissions

is pervasively misunderstood and understated.

The energy consumption of the HVAC&R industry (indirect emissions) is extremely high (22.3%ofelectricity,about10%of national emissions) reflecting the many operating systems and their continuous use. It is direct emissions that are little understood and pervasively misrepresented. The Australian national accounts report refrigerant emissions to be about1%ofnationalemissions.Thisdramatically understates the volume of direct emissions for a series of reasons that defy logic and give rise to a great deal of misunderstanding.

The real impact of the HVAC&R industry in Australia is in the order of14%ofnationalemissions.Thisiscomprisedof10%ofnational emissions due to energy consumptionand4%duetounintentional and intentional fluorocarbon refrigerant emissions.

This understatement matters a great deal. It has the effect of failing to recognise HVAC&R as a primary potential source of emissions reduction. It has the effect of failing to recognise that there are

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AUSTRALIAN REFRIGERATION ASSOCIATION (ARA)

President Tim Edwards

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AUSTRALIAN REFRIGERATION ASSOCIATION (ARA)

solutions available in Natural Refrigerants, for which direct emissions would be minimal. The naturalrefrigerantsarehighlyenergyefficientandtherefore would contribute to reduced indirect emissions. The use of natural refrigerants would eliminate direct GHG emissions and reduce indirectemissionsby20to50%,apotentialtotalreductioninnationalemissionsof7%.

The Potential Role of Natural Refrigerants The natural refrigerants are ammonia, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, air and water. These refrigerants are commercially proven and highlyenergyefficientwhenusedintherightengineering context. They have been shown to be effective in meeting the wide range of refrigerant requirements by HVAC&R sector.

As a result their use can make a major contributiontoHVAC&Renergyefficiencyandemissionsreduction.ThetransitiontoNRBT(NaturalRefrigerantBasedTechnologies)would virtually eliminating direct emissions becausenaturalrefrigerantshaveverylowGWPandreduceindirectemissionsbyupto50%throughincreasedenergyefficiency.TheuseofNRBTwouldpre-emptamajorincreaseinGHG emissions in the developing world. It is fundamental to recognise that the transition to NRBTwilldelivermajorcostsavingstoendusers of the HVAC&R services. The potential cost savings in Australia are in the order of $8Bperannum.

Company Information

I N D U S T RY

Food

H E A D Q U A RT E R S

New South Whales

Australia

F O U N D E D

December 2011

E M P L O Y E E S

President Tim Edwards,

Vice President Ben

Adamson, Secretary

Stefan Jensen,

Treasurer Ross

Bradshaw H.E

P R O D U C T S /

S E R V I C E S

Not for profit, Industry association for refrigeration and air conditioning, also known as the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration industry (HVACR)

Australian Refrigeration Association (ARA)

31 Boronia St, Bowral, NSW Australia 2576

Tel. 61248615355 Tim.Edwards@ausref.org.au

www. Ausref.org.au