Ten years ago, the wheels were set in motion to begin phasing out ozone-depleting refrigerants, such as R-12 and R-22, creating the need for an environmentally sound refrigerant. Today, Carrier is the first manufacturer in the HVAC industry to offer Puronthe Carrier brand name for an environmentally sound, R-410A refrigerant that offers high efficiency and long-term cost savings to homeowners. It is truly revolutionary in every sense of the word, and its creation is essential to the future of the heating and cooling industry. Montreal Protocol. In 1987, scientists and government officials convened in Montreal in response to
the growing pressure to preserve the earths ozone layer.What emerged was the
Montreal Protocolan internationally-binding action plan to eliminate ozone-harming
chemicals. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)such as R-12were Tighter Restrictions. Today, the Montreal Protocols current phaseout targets are hydrochlorofluoro-carbons (HCFCs), including R-22, the primary refrigerant in residential HVAC products. The 1990 Clean Air Act, in conjunction with the Montreal Protocol, established January 1, 2010 as the date when the U.S. will ban the manufacturing of products using HCFCs. In addition, a production cap on HCFCs (on a country-by-country consumption formula) was established for January 1, 1996. This production cap is intended to reduce the amount of HCFCs that will be consumed in developed countries like the U.S., Canada, the European Union and Japan. The Europeans have since adopted an even more aggressive cap and have been urging the U.S. to do the same, but to date the U.S. government has resisted. Higher Consumption Demand. As the demand for residential refrigerants increases, the production of R-22 will decrease sharply in less than six years. Production is capped at 15 million tons per year from 1996 through 2003. However, actual consumption in 1996 was 12 million tons. Despite the cool summer, consumption increased in 1997 to 12.95 million tons, roughly 85 percent of the cap. Beginning in 2004, the HCFC cap will be reduced 33 percent to 10 million tons per year, far below the demand of 1997. As you can see, the phaseout of R-22 begins now. As consumption increases and production decreases, the price of R-22 is expected to rise, just as in the case of R-12. The most significant increase is expected just prior to 2004, when the production cap is reduced 23 percent below the projected 1998 demand. As R-22 is phased out, consumers who purchased a product containing Puron will benefit due to a lower cost for future service. On the other hand, those who purchased an R-22 product can expect to feel the high price associated with service as the supply of HCFCs is depleted. |