Refrigerants

Definition

Refrigeration and air conditioning systems can release refrigerants during their service life as well as during maintenance work and disposal at the end of their useful life. These leaks represent a comparatively small but significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. The reason for this is the high global warming potential (GWP value) of many of the refrigerants used, which leads to significant emissions even with small leakage quantities.

HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) and PFC (perfluorinated and polyfluorinated) emissions result from the manufacture, maintenance and disposal of refrigeration and air conditioning systems. These gases have a 100-year global warming potential that is 140 to 11,700 times higher than that of carbon dioxide, so their potential impact on climate change can be significant.

Data collection

• Provide information on the approach used to quantify direct fugitive emissions.
• Identify calculation errors and omissions by comparing the facility's emissions data with the previous year's calculations (previous year's calculations).
• Document activity data - inventory documentation, purchase receipts, delivery receipts, contract purchases, equipment delivery bills, equipment shipping or disposal records.
• Identify areas of uncertainty in emissions calculations and use the most accurate data or conservative values.

Accounting in the Climate Hub

The global warming potential for the following refrigerants based on the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) is stored in the Climate Hub:

Further information can be found in the Scope 1 & 2 GHG Inventory Guidance of the GHG Protocol in chapter Scope 1 Fugitive Emissions from page 18.