Cooling India with Less Warming

Key Highlights

• By 2050, global HFC production and consumption is forecasted to increase five to nine times more than 2010 levels with the largest growth in developing countries.
• India is prone to adverse effects of climate change such as the threat of increased extreme weather events and greater variability in monsoon-fed crops.
• Air conditioning has major impacts on the climate system: the direct emissions of refrigerant greenhouse gases and the indirect emissions from the combustion of fuel to power the equipment.

• HFC use in India can be minimised through the application of regulatory initiatives, resolution of safety concerns with technical standards, service-technician training, and affordable cost achieved through economies of scale.
• India’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) works on improved energy efficiency standards for room air conditioners under a mandatory standards and labelling programme.
• Most Indian companies have reported that they are planning to change from HCFC-22 refrigerant to HFC-410a (a blend of HFC-125 and HFC-32), which has a GWP of 2088.
• A major challenge in India is to coordinate the schedules of the HCFC phase-out and the upgrades in energy efficiency and energy-labeling standards with the local availability of next-generation technology at an affordable cost.
• There are three viable refrigerant options to replace HFC-134a in automobiles: HFO-1234yf, HFC-152a, and CO2.
• The government has allowed companies to choose the technology they will use to replace HFCs and HCFCs while encouraging voluntary decisions to further protect the climate.

Key Recommendations

• Endorse the EC flammable safety standard as an interim measure while facilitating rapid development of Indian safety standards.
• Commit to producing low-GWP, better life-cycle climate performance, room air conditioners for green buildings, including apartments and condominiums. Also, the government of India could signal the endorsement of LCCP for appropriate applications.
• Promote HC-290 room air conditioners amongst governments and non-governmental organisations concerned with climate change. This would reward companies such as Godrej, whose domestic sale depends on the confidence that these systems are safe.
• Indian market could drive further if African and Asian countries that import Indian vehicles adopt provisions similar to EU vehicle air-conditioning directives.
• Transition to lower-GWP refrigerants to bring HFO-1234yf to world-scale production for mobile air conditioners with lower competitive prices. It would also transform the manufacturing of room air conditioners in China, India, Korea, Thailand, and other countries.