Update on F-Gas Regulation review November 2011 
EU Commission publishes report on F-Gas Regulation review and launches public consultation

Europe is paving the way for the future of F-Gases. On September 26, the EU Commission published its review report on the impact, application, effects and adequacy of the F-Gas Regulation, based on the results of a consultant report. Four years after the Regulation, the review concludes that F-gas emissions could remain at today's level of 100million tones of CO2 eq. in the long term, with no further measures. According to the Commission, if provisions are applied to all member states, the Regulation is likely to prevent almost 50 percent of projected F-Gas emissions by 2050. Increased use of air conditioning and refrigeration prompted the Commission to launch a consultation on the various regulatory options, including voluntary agreements, selective bans on new equipment containing the gases and the introduction of a scheme for phasing-down HFCs. This consultation—until December 19, 2011— will incorporate stakeholders' feedback on options to strengthen EU measures to further reduce F-Gas emissions.

Industry update
Cool Technology that delivers amidst environmental regulation

Atlas Copco, a world-leading industrial group with a specialist air solutions division, successfully conducted extensive research into the application of Honeywell Solstice(TM) yf refrigerant for car airdonditioning systems, as a replacement refrigerant for its dehumidifiers with a view to reduce their environmental footprint.The research demonstrated that without any system modifications, the operational and emissions benefits of Solstice yf are substantial., Direct emissions can be reduced by as much as 99.7% over R134a (the current refrigerant), equating to 1,761 tons of CO2e for every 10 tons of new refrigerant. This is the equivalent of removing 340 cars from the road!

The comparison measured cooling power, power consumption, super-heat, pressure dew point and pressure drop. Results of the Atlas Copco tests confirmed the quality of Honeywell's Solstice yf as a drop-in replacement refrigerant for R134a in Atlas Copco dehumidifiers.

Other conclusions of the Solstice yf tests include:
• Cooling capacity and performance are comparable to R134a
• Slight design improvements can overcome small performance gaps in certain conditions
• Flammability & toxicity analysis completed successfully
• Endurance tests confirm suitability of Solstice 1234yf for the ranges

News Flash
Solstice™ is the new name for HFO refrigerants and blowing agents adopted by Honeywell. Honeywell's Solstice family of products are based on hydrofluoro-olefin technology and offer an improved performance compared with the most widely used stationary and mobile refrigerants, blowing agents and aerosol propellants. The family includes:

Other conclusions of the Solstice yf tests include:
• Solstice yf for MAC— broadly adopted by the automotive industry for use as a refrigerant in car air-conditioning systems
• Solstice Gas Blowing Agent—used in extruded polystyrene board applications
• Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent – used in spray foam applications
• Solstice Performance Fluid —used in precision cleaning

The products have dramatically reduced GWPs compared with today's widely used fluorocarbons and their technology provides superior energy efficiency performance in cooling and insulating applications.

Did you know that... global adoption of Solstice™ liquid blowing agent could save the equivalent of 60 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year.

Update on F-Gas Regulation review October 2011 
Your chance to comment on the F-Gas Regulation – Stakeholder consultation until December 19, 2011

On September 26, 2011, the European Commission launched a stakeholder consultation on the Review of the EU F-Gas Regulation (842/2006). Details on the consultation can be found using the following link:

http://ec.europa.eu/clima/consultations/0011/index_en.htm

From this webpage, several documents can be downloaded:
• A draft report by the European Commission on the application, effects and adequacy of the F-gas Regulation 
• Preparatory study for the review of the F-gas regulation by Ökorecherche, including annexes
• Consultation questionnaire.

The consultation will be a major source of information to the European Commission in preparing proposals for amending the F-Gas regulation. It is therefore a unique opportunity for all companies and individuals whose business depends on the use of F-gases to express their views. Honeywell encourages you to actively participate in the consultation, either directly or through your trade associations. Honeywell itself will be preparing a detailed critique of the Ökorecherche report as well as replies to the Commission questionnaire.

The deadline for submission of input to the consultation is December 19, 2011.

Update on F-Gas Regulation review August 2011 
Outcomes of Montreal Protocol meeting in November likely to affect EU's F-Gas Regulation review

Global developments continue to affect the EU's policy and legislative process. The Montreal Protocol, a joint proposal by the US, Canada and Mexico urging a  phase-down of hydroflurocarbons (HFCs) was recently submitted and is a prominent topic to be discussed at the upcoming meeting of the parties at the November convention in Bali. It was acknowledged in a declaration last year, that a foreseen increase in HFC use constitutes a noteworthy climate challenge signed by 90 countries.  An agreement at the international level on phasing down HFCs would make a revision of the EU regulation imperative. Albeit the lack of any such agreement would not exclude the EU from taking similar action on its own.

On the 12th of May 2011, Ökorecherche — the German consultancy with the mandate of assessing the technical aspects of the F-Gas review— discussed an interim report with the expert group set up by the Commission last autumn, which consists of representatives from EC officials, companies, European industry associations, NGOs and Member States delegates. The European Commission will issue its own report, expected to appear at the end of the summer in accordance with article 10 of Regulation 842/2006 — with input from the results of the study. Based on these results, the European Commission will decide on a legislative proposal, if any, for the revision of the regulation to be presented at a later stage.

Industry update
Honeywell recently announced that UK supermarket chain ASDA successfully switched to Honeywell's Genetron® PerformaxTM LT refrigerant at its Hunts Cross store.
The long-term test running from September 2010 at ASDA's Hunts Cross store found the new refrigerant for supermarket chillers saved energy and reduced overall carbon footprint compared to other commonly used refrigerant blends, such as R404A or R407A in a cost effective manner.

Did you know?
• That supermarkets around the world are coming under scrutiny to prove their credentials with regard to environmental impact and sustainability
• On average, refrigeration accounts for 50% of the energy consumption of a typical supermarket
• ASDA has set itself ambitious objectives to considerably lower its environmental impact by 2015
• Therefore ASDA embarked on a full-scale field test of the Honeywell refrigerant at its new Hunts Cross store (following successful initial laboratory tests of Genetron® PerformaxTM LT)
• The robust tests showed unparalleled efficiency and lower GWP of Performax versus R404A:
1. up to 15% savings in system energy bills
2. up to 40% reduction in system CO2 emissions
3. up to 10% improvement in system running costs
• This enables ASDA to reduce both direct and indirect emissions
• Unlike R407A, Genetron Performax LT can be used in both low temperature and medium temperature applications
• The refrigerant delivered impressive results due to its higher capacity and efficiency
• These results prove Genetron Performax to be the best performing refrigerant currently available for supermarket installations

If you are interested in more details, please take a look at the Honeywell website for product information.

Did you know that... in developing countries, one quarter of the perishable foods production is lost due to a lack of or an incomplete cold chain (namely poor cold storage and refrigerated transport systems), representing almost 400 million tons per year.

Update on F-Gas Regulation review May 2011 
Honeywell's new low-global-warming refrigerant approved by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use in cars

Honeywell (NYSE: HON) recently announced that its new low-global-warming refrigerant for use in automobile air conditioning systems has received final approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The approval allows the refrigerant, HFO-1234yf, to be used in new cars in the U.S. HFO-1234yf has a global-warming-potential (GWP) that is 99.7 percent less than HFC-134a, the refrigerant currently used in most car air conditioning systems. The EPA granted the approval under its Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program.

"This is a significant step toward global adoption of this new refrigerant, which provides automakers with a near-drop in replacement for today's refrigerant while helping them meet new regulatory standards," said Terrence Hahn, vice president and general manager for Honeywell Fluorine Products.

The EPA and U.S. Department of Transportation last year adopted new standards for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from light-duty motor vehicles. Vehicle manufacturers can receive credit toward the standards for adopting refrigerants with less climate impact, such as HFO-1234yf.

"This new chemical helps fight climate change and ozone depletion," Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Air and Radiation, said in a press release. "It is homegrown innovative solutions like this that save lives and strengthen our economy."

In addition to the new U.S. standards, the European Union has adopted the Mobile Air Conditioning Directive, which requires new vehicle models starting in 2011 to use a refrigerant with a GWP below 150. By 2017, all new automobiles sold in Europe will be required to use a low-GWP refrigerant.

HFO-1234yf has undergone extensive testing for safety and efficacy by independent testing groups such as the SAE International Cooperative Research Program, in which leading automakers participate.

The SAE testing found the product offers environmental performance superior to carbon dioxide, an alternative refrigerant, while having "the lowest risk for use in mobile air conditioning systems in meeting environmental and consumer needs."

According to industry estimates, there are more than 400 million cars with air conditioning systems globally, with each system using between one-half and one kilogram of refrigerant. Air conditioning systems using HFO-1234yf are more energy efficient than carbon dioxide-based air conditioning systems, particularly at high ambient temperature conditions.  For more information on HFO-1234yf, visit www.1234facts.com.

To read EPA full story, please click on the following link: http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/c0ac698686024b0285257845005cee61?OpenDocument

Did you know that... refrigeration systems make up 50% of a typical supermarket's total energy consumption? Fluorinated gases in those systems help keep those sytems energy efficient.

Update on F-Gas Regulation review 
EC Report on F-gas Regulation Review Likely Available later in the year

The presentation of the report on the F-Gas Regulation review is currently under review. The European F-Gas Regulation (842/2006) indicates that the EC must publish its report by the 4th of July 2011. However, Honeywell has heard that a more substantive report will follow later in the year.

The German consultancy Ökorecherche was awarded the lead role in conducting a study that assesses the effectiveness of this Regulation in achieving emissions reduction targets from fluorinated gases. Other objectives of this review include evaluating whether the current policy measures have been cost-effective. They also aim to find out if new technologies are available that could contribute to a further reduction of emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases with a high global warming potential (GWP).

The new report focuses not only on the impact of reducing emissions by replacing fluorinated gases with high GWPs, but also on the impact of the energy efficiency of the alternative solutions to ensure that a net positive is created for the environment. Because the F-Gas materials currently in use are very energy efficient, they can effectively reduce CO2-emissions. In some cases these indirect benefits exceed the direct effects caused by the emission of F-gases during their useful life.

An expert group set up by the Commission and made up of representatives from EC officials, companies, European industry associations, NGOs and Member States delegates discussed the first working document presented by Ökorecherche in October 2010. The aim of this group is to provide input to the study and review the accuracy of the consultants' work. A second meeting is scheduled for May this year in time for the presentation of the interim report.

Based on the results of the report, the Commission will decide whether any legislative proposal is going to be presented at a later stage.

Expert Comment 
Running out of time — switching away from dominant refrigerant R404

By Ray Gluckman, External Consultant on F-Gas Regulation Implementation for DEFRA (UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) & Director, Climate Change, SKM Enviros

Across Europe, tough policies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in refrigeration systems are being introduced. The EU Energy Strategy 2020 strategy makes direct references to the urgency of curbing CO2 emissions from refrigerants. Predominantly in supermarkets, an opportunity for short-term GHG reductions could be missed if the retail industry doesn't apply the right strategy to eliminate the use of R404A, the dominant refrigerant across Europe for chilled and frozen food refrigeration. This is essential because R404A is a poor energy efficiency refrigerant with a significantly high global warming potential (GWP) – at 3,922, it is the highest of all commonly used refrigerants.

The most effective strategy in terms of delivering significant GHG reductions and saving costs combines a short- and long-term perspective. Since most supermarket refrigeration systems have a life span of 15 to 20 years, existing R404A equipment should be converted to R407A or R407F over a four-year period and all old plants reaching end of life should be replaced with a very low GWP system. Compared to a scenario where R404A is present in all refrigeration systems for the period 2011-2020, this strategy achieves 23% GHG reduction through huge benefits of retrofitting existing equipments.  As R407A or R407F have a GWP less than half of R404A, direct global warming impact can be reduced by as much as 75 per cent and indirect electricity-related CO2 emissions by a further 10-15 per cent. This is clearly a win-win situation where environmental and cost-effectiveness concerns are seamlessly met.