EUROPE: Usage of HFCs in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment in Europe fell by 23% last year compared to 2010, according to a study of F-gas prodution, import and exports from the European Environment Agency (EEA).
The figures just released show that 53,571 tonnes of HFCs were sold in Europe last year for acr applications, compared to 69,404 tonnes in 2010. In terms of CO2-equivalents, this represented a fall of 25%.

Refrigeration and air conditioning still represents around 77% of total European F-gas sales, an increase on 2010 figures when it was just over 70%. Much of this is accounted for by steep falls in the use of F-gases as aerosol propellants and in the foam industry.

However, when GWP of the various F-gases is taken into consideration, the refrigeration and air conditioning sector accounts for 57% of total usage based on CO2-equivalents. This is down on 2010 when 68% of total F-gases in Europe were for acr uses. Much of this seeming disparity is due to the increasing use by the electrical industry of SF6, an F-gas with a GWP of 23,900.

Significantly, though, the figures in this report do not include the F-gases in imported pre-charged equipment.