# Refrigeration and Air Conditioning **SNAP Stakeholder Workshop: Stationary Air Conditioning** 

December 4, 2013 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

# Introduction
• Why stationary air conditioning, why now?

– EPA is conducting a series of SNAP sector workshops

– Refrigeration and air conditioning is the third sector in series • Nov. 15: Household Appliances • Dec. 4: Stationary A/C and MVAC • Dec. 16: Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration 

### • Scope of the Meeting

– Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program

– Climate Action Plan

– Vintaging Model 

### • Discussion 2

# Identifying **Safer Alternatives**

**SNAP Program** • Evaluates substitutes that reduce overall risk to human health & environment in industrial sectors

– Aerosols, Foams, Refrigeration and A/C, Solvents, Fire Suppression, Adhesives, coatings & inks, etc. 

### • 400+ substitutes reviewed considering:

– Ozone -depleting potential

– Global warming potential

– Flammability

– Toxicity

– Local air quality

– Ecosystem effects

– Occupational & consumer health/safety 3

# Progress Under SNAP
• In CAA Title VI, Congress directed EPA to create listing clearinghouse to smooth transition to safer alternatives

– Process seamless from consumer perspective
– regular SNAP list updates promote certainty and stability while encouraging continued innovation 

### • SNAP is an expanding menu of options that:

– Are reviewed for health and environmental protection criteria
– Reduce ODS/GHG emissions
– Promote responsible practices to reduce emissions 

### • Unique review program supporting global transition • Sector-focused coordination

– Long -standing cooperation with U.S. stakeholders
– Work supporting national/international standards and codes revisions, removing barriers to adoption of alternatives 4

# SNAP Listings
• SNAP lists alternatives as acceptable, unacceptable, or acceptable with conditions for use • Alternatives include:

– Alternative chemicals/blends

– Alternative technologies (e.g., absorption chillers) 

### • Next generation alternatives

– Many climate -friendly options 

### • Currently SNAP has approximately 25 active submissions

– EPA has been getting many more submissions in recent years, particularly for foams, air-conditioning, and refrigeration 56

## President’s Climate Action **Plan and HFCs**  • Continue International Diplomacy

– Lead negotiations under the Montreal Protocol to phase down HFCs • Global phase down could reduce over 90 gigatons of CO 2 eq by 2050 , equal to roughly two years' wo rth of current global GHG emissions
– Work with partners in the **Climate and Clean Air Coalition**  **to Reduce Short**  **- Lived**  **Climate Pollutants**  to promote climate -friendly alternatives to high - GWP HFCs, address standards, & reduce emissions from HFC use 

### • Address Through Domestic Actions

– Use existing Clean Air Act authority of **Significant New**  **Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program**  to approve climate-friendly chemicals, prohibit some uses of most harmful 7 – Provide federal leadership by **purchasing cleaner alternatives**  **to HFCs** whenever feasible and by **transitioning to equipment using safer,**  **more sustainable**  **alternatives**

## What the Climate Action **Plan Means**  **for SNAP**
• Prioritize review of alternatives that are safer for the climate

– In the context of SNAP’s broader criteria

– Innovative companies have invested in low- GWP alternatives

– Forward - leaning manufacturers of advanced technologies and equipment can provide near-term reductions in emissions 

### • Support, fit within, broader HFC strategy

– Listing additional low- GWP options positions U.S. industries to better meet potential future phasedown steps proposed under the Montreal Protocol

– Responds to federal procurement needs to “purchase cleaner alternatives to HFCs whenever feasible” 8

# SNAP & Air Conditioning
• Variety of end uses and applications

– Residential air conditioning and heat pump applications, light commercial air conditioning (e.g. PTACs, RTUs), chillers, and industrial process air conditioning 

### • Multiple options available under SNAP for ODS transition

– Currently dominated by HFC blends many with high GWPs

– For some end uses lower GWP options are becoming available • Recent listings include HFO - 1234ze, - 1233zd(E) 

### • Additional submissions under consideration

– E.g., residential and light commercial air conditioning systems with R- 32 9

# Standards UL Standards with Requirements for Flammable Refrigerants • UL 484: Room Air Conditioners 

### UL Standards Lacking Requirements for Flammable Refrigerants: • UL 1995: Heating and Cooling Equipment – covers wide variety of non self -contained stationary AC,; e.g. residential splits, building chillers • UL 60335-2 -40: Safety of Household and Similar Electrical Appliances, Part 2, Particular Requirements for Electrical Heat Pumps, Air Conditioners and Dehumidifiers 

### Others • ASHRAE 15 • Building codes 10

# U.S. EPA Vintaging **Model** • **What?** Tool to track U.S. types of equipment (“end uses”) of ODS and substitutes • **Where?** Major Sectors: Aerosols, Foams, Solvents, Fire Protection, Refrigeration/AC • **When?** Tracks chemical from when first produced and placed in equipment or product (“consumption”) through servicing and use until finally recycled/released to atmosphere (“emissions”) • **Who?** EPA tool developed with input from industry (e.g., AHRI AC/HP shipment data)

– Other data sources (some CBI) • **Why ?**  Required reporting and other analyses of consumption and emissions of ODS and substitutes 11

# Vintaging **Model –**  **Uses** • Reporting for international regimes

– Consumption and emissions

– Annual Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions

– Biannual National Communications (Climate Action Report) 

### • Analysis of HCFC phaseout & servicing needs

– Estimated needs and available supplies (MP cap, recoverable) 

### • Projections of consumption and emissions for alternatives (e.g., HFCs)

– What if scenarios 12**Aerosols Foam**  **Solvents Ref/AC**  

### ODS Substitutes **Fire Commercial**  **Refrig Domestic**  **Refrig Industrial**  **Process Refrigeration**  **Stationary A** **C Tr** **ansport Refrig**  **Mobile AC**  **Supermarkets Condensing Units**  **Stand -** **Al one**  **Units Ice Makers**  **Display C**  **ases Ve**  **nding Machines Systems/Chillers**  **Cold Storage Road**  **Rail Ships**  **Containers Residential** 

**Small Commercial Large Commercial**  **Reciprocating Dehumidifiers**  **Window Units**  **Central AC** **/HP Ground**  **- Source**  **PT AC** **/PTHP Large Unitary**  **Small Unitary**  **Scrolls Screw**  **Centrifugal CFC**  **- 11**  **CFC -**  **12 Mini**  **- Splits**  **Buses Tr** **ains Light Duty**  **Cars Tr** **ucks/SUVs School/T** 

**our Tr** **ansit Wine Fridges**  **Wa ter Coolers** **Aerosols Foam**  **Solvents Ref/AC**  

### ODS Substitutes **Fire Commercial**  **Refrig Domestic**  **Refrig Industrial**  **Process Refrigeration**  **Stationary A** **C Tr** **ansport Refrig**  **Mobile AC**  **Supermarkets Condensing Units**  **Stand -** **Al one**  **Units Ice Makers**  **Display C**  **ases Ve**  **nding Machines Systems/Chillers**  **Cold Storage Road**  **Rail Ships**  **Containers Residential** 

**Small Commercial Large Commercial**  **Reciprocating Dehumidifiers**  **Window Units**  **Central AC** **/HP Ground**  **- Source**  **PT AC** **/PTHP Large Unitary**  **Small Unitary**  **Scrolls Screw**  **Centrifugal CFC**  **- 11**  **CFC -**  **12 Mini**  **- Splits**  **Buses Tr** **ains Light Duty**  **Cars Tr** **ucks/SUVs School/T** 

**our Tr** **ansit Wine Fridges**  **Wa ter Coolers** 

# Discussion Questions

# Discussion Questions: **Sector Transitions**  • In many sectors, SNAP is receiving an increased number of submissions. SNAP currently has a few air conditioning submissions and has acted on others in recent years.

– Do you anticipate sharing new substitutes for stationary A/C with SNAP soon?
– Do you foresee more transitions from existing alternatives? 

### • What benefits have you seen from transitions?

– Decreased cost? Improved support for corporate sustainability goals? Better for the environment, performance? 

### • Where a transition has been made, particularly to climate -friendly alternatives, what benefits have you experienced from making the change? • What are barriers to adoption of safer alternatives?

– What transition times are needed to adopt alternatives?
– What end uses will require continued servicing and for how long? 16

# Additional **Discussion Questions**  • Under what circumstances/conditions would it make sense for EPA to change the listing status of certain high - GWP HFCs? • What are some ways that SNAP can help “encourage private sector investment in low-emissions technolog [ ies](?)” • How can EPA provide a degree of certainty for future investments while “prohibiting certain uses of the most harmful” alternatives? • What are appropriate lifetimes to assume for various stationary air conditioning equipment? • Can your company or trade association share additional data to inform our understanding of the air conditioning sector? 17

# Discussion