GREEN MATTERS
Cooling and the race to net-zero
Russell Beattie, Chief Executive of the Federation of Environmental Trade Associations (FETA), discusses the challenges facing the cooling industry as it maps the journey towards net-zero emissions
M
ost of us will have heard the term ‘net-zero’ bandied about more and more over the last few years as the UK became the first major world economy to fully commit
to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and more recently pledged to cut emissions by 78% by 2035. Put simply, net-zero is achieved when the amount of
greenhouse gas we produce is no more the amount we are taking away – essentially balancing our emissions in order to limit our environmental impact on the planet. For some industries, reaching the net-zero milestone in just under 30 years seems like a realistic prospect but for many others the road ahead is littered with obstacles and shrouded in a great deal of uncertainty. Cooling, it seems, falls somewhere in between – there is undoubtedly a lot of work to be done but there are also clear indications that net-zero cooling can and will be realised.
Time for action It’s estimated that cooling currently accounts for more that 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions, partly due to the electricity powering the equipment and partly because of the refrigerants used. The F-Gas regulation, a phase down of HFCs introduced in 2015 with the aim of cutting emissions by two thirds by 2030, has successfully demonstrated that refrigerant emissions can be meaningfully reduced but further measures will need to be put in place around the world if we are to get close to net-zero status. A recent online event hosted by the UN-backed Cool Coalition saw the launch of a report examining how sustainable cooling can be integrated into national and global responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. The takeaway message of the report was that the sustainable cooling of buildings must not be seen as a luxury but should instead be viewed as an essential need for everyone as well as a key part of worldwide green economic recovery plans. Whether this ambition will be realised remains to be seen but it is becoming increasingly difficult to argue against placing the built environment at the very forefront of global economic recovery plans.
Triple threat Energy efficient cooling technology has been deployed successfully in a number of sectors, however, as with the majority of comparatively new technologies, cost and availability are frequent barriers to widespread adoption. The general consensus
24 June 2021
therefore is that a three-pronged approach is required to bring about the changes needed in the aforementioned timescale. Over time, ultra-efficient cooling technology and appliances (powered by zero carbon energy) will need to become the norm. This will need to be implemented by building on Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for cooling equipment such as air conditioning units and refrigerators. Backed by government policy and incentives, industry will need to promote total cost of ownership and look to integrate smart cooling solutions in the next generation of production and infrastructure systems wherever possible. Existing cooling equipment will need to be run as efficiently as possible by optimising its operation, control and maintenance. As well as encouraging an efficiency ‘race to the top’ amongst manufacturers, passive cooling options will need to be seriously considered at every available opportunity, reducing the reliance on mechanical cooling in areas where it is not always needed. These options will include smarter shading, evaporative and radiative cooling, additional glazing and cool roofs that stay cool in the sun by minimising solar absorption and maximising thermal emittance. Such measures could be implemented in full or engineered to work in tandem with mechanical solutions to guarantee performance without compromising efficiency. As an example of these ideas in action, France’s much lauded £5.8bn building energy renovation strategy includes a plan to reduce heating and cooling demand across the country by using passive cooling design measures to transform public buildings. Greener technology and passive cooling options will deliver a crucial edge in the race to net-zero but perhaps the most important aspect will be the worldwide adoption of ultra- low GWP refrigerants. The UK and EU have led the way in transitioning towards less greenhouse gas intensive refrigerants but crucially the worldwide market has yet to catch up. In championing the F-Gas Regulations the UK and EU have ensured compliance with the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol – a multilateral agreement which mandates the phasedown of powerful greenhouse gases – yet the transition hasn’t been smooth sailing from day one. Installers have had to acquire additional knowledge and training to understand the changes, whilst illegal trade and the dumping of high GWP refrigeration equipment have presented challenges along the way. As such, it therefore seems fairly certain that these same challenges can
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