Page 16 - Climate Control News Nov 2019

In Focus
New data shows drop in split system sales
AUSTRALIANS SPENT AROUND $9.3 billion installing refrigeration and air conditioning equipment in 2018 compared to $8.2 billion in 2016, according to the latest updates to Cold Hard Facts 2019 which was released this week.
Published by the Federal Department of Envi- ronment and Energy, the Expert Group has up- dated Cold Hard Facts 2019 with data collected during 2017 and 2018.
It is the fourth edition of the Cold Hard Facts series which began in 2006.
The Expert Group calculates that RAC servic- es in all its forms were delivered by over 56 mil- lion individual pieces of equipment in Australia during 2018, compared to 54 million in 2016.
In both 2017 and 2018, an estimated 2 mil- lion devices containing around 2,270 tonnes of residual refrigerant reached the end of their useful life.
This included around 120 tonnes of refrigerant
in domestic refrigerators and freezers, 1,480 tonnes in air conditioners, 430 tonnes in motor vehicles of all types, and 240 tonnes in commer- cial refrigeration equipment.
The bank of high GWP refrigerants in Austral- ia increased by five per cent from 2016 to 2018, from around 50,800 tonnes in 2016 to an estimat- ed 53,300 tonnes in 2018.
Analysis of equipment imports confirmed a rapid transition to the use of HFC-32 in small air conditioning systems. In 2018, HFC-32 systems made up 53% of all pre-charged small air condi- tioning units imported, an increase from 39% in 2016 and up from zero in 2012, the report said.
Sales of small single split system air condition- ers in 2018 have seen annual sales soften for the first time since the Cold Hard Facts series began in 2006. The split system market experienced solid annual growth rates of around five per cent from 2012 to 2018. In 2017 a record number of
R-32 made up 53% of all pre-charged air conditioning units imported, an increase from 39% in 2016.
1,258,000 single split systems were sold in Aus- tralia. Sales reduced noticeably in 2018 with total sales around 1,158,000; a year-on-year decline of nearly eight per cent.
Sales of multi-head systems, and sales of me- dium air conditioning systems all experienced continued growth through 2017 and 2018.
Leading supermarket chains continue active programs reducing leaksof high GWP (HFC) re- frigerants and lead the way with concerted moves to HFC alternatives.
The emergence of carbon dioxide (CO2) cas- cade and trans-critical systems in commercial refrigeration saw rapid growth of CO2 systems employed in the cold food chain, although from a low base.
Innovation in the use of low-charge ammonia systems added to the highly energy efficient op- tions for new build commercial refrigeration sys- tems with a cooling capacity greater than 50 kWr.
“IN 2018 RAC CONSUMED AROUND 24% OF ALL ELECTRICITY GENERATED.” – CHF 2019.
These trends with CO2, ammonia and hydro- carbon refrigerants resulted in the share (in met- ric tonnes) of the HCFC and HFC refrigerant bank used in the refrigerated cold food chain falling again from 14% in 2016 to 13% in 2018,even though the absolute mass of HCFCs and HFCs employed in the cold food chain increased slight- ly to around 7,100 metric tonnes.
The refrigerated cold food chain represents 21% of the bank in CO2e terms both in 2016 and 2018.
The portion of total electricity consumed by RAC in 2018 was around 24% of all Australian electricity generated.
“Since this research series began the refrigera- tion and air conditioning industry has become much more complex in terms of the technologi- cal options available to meet the growing re- quirements from users across the economy.
The gradual phase down of HFCs under the Montreal Protocol is expected to further acceler- ate innovation and the diversification of refriger- ants and refrigeration and air conditioning tech- nology,” the report said. ✺
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