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HCFC Refrigerant Gases Contain Significant Global Warming Potential (GWP)

Daniel J. Stouffer
April 20, 2009
Chemicals found in refrigerants have a high global warming potential. Scientists document this by referring to how much a chemical will impact global warming as opposed to a similar amount of CO2. Typically, refrigerants run in the hundreds and even thousands when compared to a carbon dioxide potential reading of 1.0. As the refrigerants stay in the atmosphere for much longer, greater damage can be caused to the Earth's climate.

Greenhouse gases are given a global warming potential value, which scientists use to determine how they will impact our atmosphere. Different values are allocated to the gases, mostly refrigerants, to determine their impact on the atmosphere over the space of 20, 100 or 500 years. the gases typically stay in the atmosphere longer than 20 years and many are around for up to a century. Controlling emissions and dangerous gases is essential to offset the considerable harm that will occur to the earth and its inhabitants otherwise.

There are three factors that scientists use to determine the global warming potential of a substance. The three factors the amount of infrared radiation which is absorbed, the atmospheric location of the place that the absorption occured, and the length of time the substance remains in the air. A substance with a high global warming potential has a greater chance of causing adverse climate change.

In order for us to maintain a healthy environment, dangerous chemicals should maintain a lower global warming potential. As most of the refrigerant in use are greenhouse gases, known to contribute to global warming, regulations are in place to limit use and eventually replace with alternate substances.

The chemical the highest global warming potential is HCFCs, hydrochlorofluorocarbon. These chemicals have values ranging from 120 to 12,240, and are most often found in refrigeration and cooling systems. The values represent the potential to cause harm to our environment, with a higher figure the most troubling.


Refrigerants have a very diverse range in terms of global warming potential. For example, R-113, Trichlorotrifluoroethane has the highest value of 4800, but the refrigerant R-114 Dichlorotetrafluoroethane has one of the lowest values or 3.9. The latest refrigerants in development, to be used in the new breed of refrigeration and air-conditioning systems, have no adverse impact on global warming.

Facilities that use refrigerants with a high global warming potential, for example commercial refrigeration and air-conditioning systems and HVAC systems, must monitor and track usage and submit reports regularly. Both the US Clean Air Act and other international treaties mandate these requirements.

Emissions from refrigerants with a high global warming potential are on the decline due to new regulations, particularly those which refer to leak reporting and leak fixing. The United States has led the way and harmful refrigerant gases should be phased out by 2015. Facilities must comply with the appropriate regulations to avoid penalty, but more importantly help to sustain the future of the world's environment.

Verisae specializes in refrigerant tracking and managing high global warming (GWP) substances. We can assist organizations across multiple locations and down to the asset level comply with greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting regulations. Visit www.Refrigerant-Tracker.com to research our refrigerant management solutions.
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Daniel J. Stouffer

I am Daniel Stouffer. I am a part-time writer, passionate Solar Energy Consultant, and a full-time Product Manager for Refrigerant Tracker, a solution to help manage, track, report refrigerant gases.

Educated in English and Mathematics, I dabble in writing pieces of this or that on the Internet while I work my day job building demand side energy management, carbon footprint reporting, and refrigerant gas tracking software.

I work for Verisae, Inc. I'm deeply involved in carbon management and renewable energy. My quest is to bring solar energy to U.S. Residential homeowners and to better manage the substances that harm our environment.

I'm also a small business owner working to promote the adoption of renewable energy. Solargies (Solar Energies), my goal is to spread the use of renewable solar power as simply and as rapidly as possible. He is also a writer, investing his time and energies educating people about renewable energy, the exciting world of interactive marketing, and other oddities of interest. (www.Solargies.com)

My personal mission statement: To gather data, to distill information, to build knowledge, and to attain wisdom. To learn, to work hard, and to be internally motivated when acquiring skills. "Every person that you meet knows something you do not - learn from them."

Verisae's Refrigerant Tracker and the Enterprise Carbon Footprint (ECF) products allows companies to take inventory of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) and refrigerant gas emissions. CO2 gas, Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS), and refrigerant gas emissions are tracked and better manage. Organizations can have a direct effect on the environment through better data management and taking accurate inventories of all greenhouse gases (GHGs) that contribute to their Carbon Footprint.

In my position, I work collaboratively with client teams to understand their goals, document the solution, and mange User Centered Design projects. I'm driven to implement solutions that deliver measurable business value and enhanced user experience.

As a Product Manager for Refrigerant Tracker, I help design how to make the right content available to the right people at the right time. My role involves the design of interactive systems that help users find and manage information or functionality more successfully. (www.refrigerant-tracker.com)

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