NEDO Projects Related toFluorocarbon Countermeasures
Nov 5, 2019
Mika Suzawa
New Energy and Industrial Technology
Development Organization (NEDO)
1Agenda
1. Introduction of NEDO
2. Background and policy trends
3. R&D direction of NEDO
4. NEDO projects
4-1. completed project
4-2. ongoing project2

1. Introduction of NEDO
2. Background and policy trends
3. R&D direction of NEDO
4. NEDO projects
4-1. completed project
4-2. ongoing project3

Introduction of NEDONEDO plays an important role in Japan's economicand industrial policies as one of the largest public
R&D management organizations.
NEDO has two missions:– Addressing energy and global environmental problems– Enhancing industrial technology
Chairman:Mr. Hiroaki Ishizuka
Organization: - Established in 1980
- Incorporated administrative agency underJapan’s Ministry of Economy,
Trade and Industry (METI)
Budget :1.43 billion US dollars (fiscal year 2019)
Personnel ： 1,0004

Positioning of NEDO

5

1. Introduction of NEDO
2. Background and policy trends
3. R&D direction of NEDO
4. NEDO projects
4-1. completed project
4-2. ongoing project6

HFC emission sources and trends in JapanTSC Environment &Chemistry

HFC emission sources and trends in Japan
70.0

HFC's production
Foaming & Insulation material
Aerosol

HFC emissions (mil. CO2-t)

60.0

Refrigeration & A/C refrigerants

Semiconductors

Detergents & Solvent
50.0

Semiconductors manufacturing
Electric power device insulation
Metal manufacturing

40.0

Extinguishing agents

Refrigeration& airconditioning
refrigerants

30.0

20.0

10.0

0.0

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Foaming &Insulation

Fiscal year
Source: Report of METI Industrial Structure Council WG, Dec. 20177

Obligations under Kigali Amendment in Japan

Reductions in production/usage of HFCs in Japan(mil.CO2-t)▲10％Approx.71(Baselinevalue)▲40％

Approx.49
in 2017

43.4
▲70％
36.5

▲80％

Estimated production/usage underJapan’s Act on Rational Use and Proper
Management of Fluorocarbons

2017

2019
（Controls begin）

2024

▲85％

2029

2034 2036 8

1. Introduction of NEDO
2. Background and policy trends
3. R&D direction of NEDO
4. NEDO projects
4-1. completed project
4-2. ongoing projectRefrigerant emissions and the life cycle forrefrigerants and equipment

TSC Environment &Chemistry

Manufacturers offluorocarbons

1. Productionof refrigerants

Refrigerantleakage

Destruction
businesses

5. Destructionof refrigerants

Refrigerantleakage

Measuresagainst leakage

Collection
businesses

4. Collection/
disposal ofequipment/
recovery ofrefrigerants

Partly torecycling

Conversion ofrefrigerants
Equipment
manufacturers

2. Refrigerant
charged into
equipment
Equipmentusers

3. Equipmentuse
Refrigerantleakage10

HFC Emission Countermeasures●Refrigerant alternatives

Development

Evaluation

Refrigerants

Performance evaluationof refrigerants

Equipment

Performance evaluationof equipment

Low-GWP●Reduction of refrigerant
emissions
Leak management

Risk assessment in realuse situations

Recovery
Detoxification treatment

R&D

Reproduction

Laws/regulations

11R&D direction of NEDOIn Japan, to achieve the HFC reduction target ofthe Kigali Amendment, development of low GWP
refrigerant and applicable equipment are required.
On the other hand, when the GWP is lowered,many refrigerants have characteristic properties
such as increased flammability.
In order to spread low GWP refrigerants, it isextremely important to assess the risk and toestablish the evaluation methods for safety ofapplying flammable refrigerants to equipment.
121. Introduction of NEDO
2. Background and policy trends
3. R&D direction of NEDO
4. NEDO projects
4-1. completed project
4-2. ongoing project4-1. completed project;
Development of Non-Fluorinated Energy- Saving
Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Equipment Systems- Project period : FY2011-FY2015- Project budget: 1.8 billion yen- Target: Commercial air-conditioning- Themes:
1. Development of equipment capable of high-efficiency
operations when using low-GWP refrigerants
2. Development of low-GWP refrigerants

3. Evaluation of performance and safety of low-GWP
refrigerants
Especially, mildly flammable (lowerflammable; A2L) refrigerants
144-1. completed project;
Corporation in evaluation of the safety of mildly flammable
refrigerants
 NEDO organized Research Group to evaluate the safety of mild
flammable refrigerants.

JSRAE

JRAIA

R&D Project(Japan Society ofRefrigerating and Air
Conditioning Engineers)(Japan Refrigeration
and Air Conditioning
Industry Association)

Universities
Research Institutes

Research Group

Working Groups

Informationexchange,
Discussion
Under regularbuoyancy test

Experiment inmicrogravity

World’s first example offlammability measurement for
mildly-flammable refrigerants

Final Report15

4-1. completed project;
Project achievements-1 (Domestic) Final report contributed to the amendment of Japan’s High Pressure
Gas Safety Act, which led the new provision for the use of mildly
flammable refrigerants .
 Based on this amendment, the commercialization of large-capacity
centrifugal chillers using mildly flammable refrigerant was realized.
Result of NEDO Project
Safety assessment of mildly
flammable refrigerants
Final Report of Research Grouphttps://www.jsrae.or.jp/committee/binensei/final_report_2016r1_en.pdf

Amendment of High
Pressure Gas Safety Act
The use of mildly-flammable
refrigerants was newly stipulated

Commercialization of devices
using low-GWP refrigerants(HFO-1234ze(E))
Source: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems, Ltd.
Press Information no. 5840 dated February 16, 20171716

Internationalstandards

Safety evaluation underreal-use conditions

4-1. completed project;
Project achievements-2 (Internationally)

17

Result of NEDO Project
Created a new concept
Development of test and“the quenching diameter”
measurement methods thatas index for evaluating
consider impact of humiditythe combustion
on burning velocity of mildly
characteristics of mildly
flammable refrigerants
flammable refrigerants● Testing method for
combustion speed of mildly
flammable refrigerants● Revision of humidity-related
safety requirements forelectric relays

Testing method for combustion
speed of mildly flammable
refrigerants was proposed

IEC standard 60335-2-40 regarding
the safety of household and similarelectrical appliances was revised.
17

4-2. ongoing project:
Status of equipment with low-GWP refrigerants in Japan
SIZE（Amount ofAmmoniaCharge)

CO₂CO₂

Facing obstacles tocommercializationAlternative
Substances
uncertain

Commercial airconditioners

Medium-sizedcommercial
refrigerators /freezers

Cold storage
warehouses

HighAir

Room air conditioners
国内出荷：約Small
10万台／年

commercial
refrigerators
HFO

air conditioners
for car-60

TEMP-40

Commercial
refrigerators-20

CO₂Hot-water supply

CO₂CO₂

Isobutane

Isobutane

Vending machines forcooling-100℃

Cooling

10Vending machines forwarming

20

Air Conditioning

Low

Commercialized
using
alternativerefrigerants

Isobutane

Householdrefrigerators

60

40

Heating18

4-2. ongoing project:
Development of Technology and Assessment Techniques
for Next-Generation Refrigerants with a Low GWP Value- Target refrigerants:
Next-generation low-GWP refrigerants such as HCs, HFOs
and HFO hybrids- Project period: FY2018-FY2022- Project budget: 6.5 billion yen (FY2019)- Themes:
1. Acquisition and evaluation of data regarding basic
characteristics of next-generation refrigerants
2. Development of safety measures methods and risk
assessment for next-generation refrigerants
3. Development of new refrigerant and equipment
19

4-2. ongoing project;
Corporation in evaluation of the safety Next-generation
low-GWP refrigerants
 NEDO constructed the same structure to evaluate the safety of
Next-generation low-GWP refrigerants.

R&D ProjectUniversities
Research Institutes

JSRAE

JRAIA

(Japan Society ofRefrigerating and Air
Conditioning Engineers)(Japan Refrigerationand Air Conditioning
Industry Association)

Research Group

Working Groups

Information exchange
Discussion

Disseminate informationinternationally20

Future Direction
HFC Phase-down Schedule Under Kigali Amendment
1

developed
countries

developing
countries

0.9

Reduction Rate

0.8
0.7

GROPUP 2

Results ofour project

0.6

developing
countries

0.5

GROPUP 1

0.4
0.3
0.2
0.102015

2020

2025

2030

2035

Year

2040

2045

2050

21

Thank you for your attention !

https://www.nedo.go.jp/english/index.html

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