Image by Multilayer Trading. www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za RACA Journal I August 2025 27
Feature
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY REFRIGERANTS: COOLING THE PLANET WITHOUT HEATING IT
By Eamonn Ryan
Christopher Visser, CEO of Multilayer Trading, addressed FRIGAIR 2025 on the critical shift towards sustainable refrigerants, emphasising the urgent need for the industry to adopt environmentally friendly options.
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Good morning, everyone. It’ s great to speak at today’ s summit," Visser began, setting the stage for a compelling discussion on what he believes is " the single biggest pivot our industry will make in the next decade— choosing refrigerants that cool without
heating the planet ".
The urgency of this transition is underscored by exploding cooling demand. Visser cited projections from the International Energy Agency( IEA), stating that " electricity for air-conditioning alone could rise by 500 – 700 TWh by 2035, almost the output of 150 large power plants." He warned that continuing to fuel this growth with high- Global Warming Potential( GWP) hydrofluorocarbons( HFCs) would mean " direct emissions wipe out a big chunk of the climate gains we make elsewhere ".
However, Visser offered a positive outlook, asserting, " The good news is: we already have safer, lower-impact options on the shelf. The challenge is matching each one to the right application, safely and economically." He promised to demystify the complexities of refrigerant choice, providing a clear framework for attendees to implement immediately.
COOLING ' S EXPANDING CLIMATE FOOTPRINT Highlighting the dramatic increase in energy demand, Visser presented IEA data on the‘ Stated Policies scenario’, where " cooling alone adds roughly one terawatt-hour every nine hours worldwide. Annualised, that’ s about 1 000 TWh— more than three times the growth coming from data centres, and five times that of electric vehicles ".
To put this into perspective, he noted, " If cooling demand were a country, this incremental load would exceed the current electricity use of Brazil. Here in South Africa, Eskom generates about 200 TWh a year. The extra global cooling load by 2035 is roughly five Eskoms worth of new generation."
Visser attributed these soaring numbers to " rising ambient temperatures and rising living standards, especially in emerging economies ". He stressed the " double climate hit— indirect emissions from electricity plus direct emissions from the refrigerant itself " when high-GWP HFCs are used. " If we’ re hunting for the biggest single lever in the power-and-climate equation, cooling comes out on top. That’ s why today’ s discussion on environmentally friendly refrigerants is so critical." He emphasised that better refrigerants reduce leakage impact directly and often enable more efficient system architecture.
POLICY MOMENTUM ACCELERATING THE SHIFT Visser then shifted focus to the regulatory landscape, noting that as of May 2025, 155 out of 198 parties have ratified the Kigali Amendment— that’ s about 80 % of the world’ s GDP under a legally binding HFC phasedown. " Here at home, South Africa ratified in 2022, so we’ re aligned with the developing-country Group 1 schedule: a freeze this year, then a 10 % cut by 2029, 30 % by 2035, and 80 % by 2045."
He warned of potential trade restrictions for non-ratifying countries, particularly concerning " pre-charged equipment ". Visser highlighted stricter regulations in other regions: " Updated European Union regulation bans many over 150-GWP HFCs in new commercial refrigeration from 2025, complete phase-out by 2050. Similarly, in the US, first HFC userestrictions kick in 1 January 2025; major supermarket systems must move to below or equal to 150 GWP by 2027."
Visser ' s message was clear: " The policy train has left the station. If you still specify legacy HFCs like R-404A or R-410A after 2025, you risk supply shocks, price spikes, and stranded assets." Conversely, he advised, " aligning with under 150 GWP options now— CO₂, hydrocarbons, A2L HFO blends— positions you ahead of quotas and taxes ".
REFRIGERANT FAMILIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLINESS
Visser then decoded the complex world of refrigerants, characterising them by safety class( A1, A2L, A3, B2) and GWP. He noted that over 2 000 GWP equals the red zone; rapid phase-down under Kigali; while under 150 GWP, the green zone meets 2025 EU and US targets. He singled out R-404A( GWP of approximately 3 900) as being eliminated, and R-32( GWP of approximately 770) as‘ a bridge option’. For long-term winners, he pointed to R-290 and CO₂ with a GWP of approximately 3 or 1.
He urged technical teams to " steer projects diagonally— from the red A1 zone towards green low-GWP— while ensuring installers are trained for flammability or pressure changes ".
Visser then outlined the five criteria for an environmentally friendly refrigerant:
• GWP-100: " For kilograms CO₂ equivalent per kilogram leaked, Kigali and EU bans target under 150 ".
• Whole-life impact – TEWI / LCCP: TEWI or Total Equivalent Warming Impact adds the indirect energy emissions to the direct leaks. In hot climates, electricity often outweighs leakage, so a fluid with slightly higher GWP can still win if it slashes kWh.
• The safety gatekeeper: " ASHRAE classes run A1 nonflammableA2L mildly flammable A3 highly flammable; B2 toxic. Lower GWP usually means either more flammable— propane, HFO blends— or higher pressure, as with CO₂. Training and local codes decide what’ s realistic."
• Economic viability: " Cost per kilogram plus hardware changes— for instance, thicker piping on CO₂. And remember: quotas and carbon taxes will drive legacy HFC prices up sharply after 2025."
Visser concluded, " A refrigerant is truly‘ environmentally friendly’ only when it clears all four hurdles— climate, energy, safety, and cost— for your specific application."
Image by Multilayer Trading. www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za RACA Journal I August 2025 27