[Front page] [Contents] [Previous] [Next] Substitutes for Potent Greenhouse Gases 2 Aim of project and organisation As far as the potent greenhouse gases HFCs, PFCs and SF6 are concerned, the aim of the project is to describe the following conditions within each field of application:  Application and consumption figures (from survey prepared by the Danish EPA) Emission to surrounding environment / accumulation in products Alternative technology, development steps and possible implementation in Denmark or abroad Estimated costs by introduction of alternative technology and other obstacles for such introduction (machinery availability, energy consumption, safety rules, standards etc.) Demand for a possible Cleaner Technology activity and description of such project Information is collected by means of contacting relevant industrial enterprises, trade organisations in Denmark and abroad and green organisations. Supplementary information will be collected by means of attending technical conferences, amongst others within the field of refrigeration technology and PU-foam. Such measurements will allow the environmental authorities and Danish industry to achieve a sound background for further estimation of the practical possibilities within technology, economy and safety for phasing-out potent greenhouse gases within different fields of application. At the same time, a broad perspective of the areas requiring Cleaner Technology effort in order to develop new, more environmentally friendly technologies will be obtained. If introduction of alternative technologies will create a considerable change of the energy consumption, this will be specifically mentioned. Obviously, this is a very important factor. Possible increase of energy consumption very soon means reduction of the environmental advantages which have been achieved by phasing-out potent greenhouse gases within different fields of application. On the other hand energy savings might encourage further introduction of new technology. The project is carried out by DTI Energy but has a steering committee appointed by the Danish EPA and comprises the following members: Lise Emmy Jensen, Danish EPA (chairman of the first part of the project) Frank Jensen, Danish EPA (chairman of the second part of the project) Per Henrik Pedersen, DTI Energy (responsible for the project) Michael Wedel Sørrensen, Confederation of Danish Industries Morten Arnvig, AKB (Authorised Refrigeration Installers Association) Tarjei Haaland, Greenpeace Denmark Dorte Maimann, Danish Energy Agency Lars Frederiksen, Danish Energy Agency As mentioned in the aim of project, this will be performed in close co-operation with the Danish EPA and Danish industry. A status report was written in the autumn of 1997. It was published in Danish and English (Working Report No. 101 and 102, 1997) and was also placed on the Internet via the Danish Ministry of Environment and Energy. This report is a revised and extended edition of the status report from 1997; data and knowledge about technology development have been updated. Specific suggestions to the Cleaner Technology projects have also been incorporated. Organisation of work The Danish EPA published three reports in English on alternative technologies in 1995. Thus, a comprehensive account on the state-of-the-art, as it appeared in 1995, is available within the refrigeration area, poly-urethane foam and substitution of halon for fire extinguishing. This report is divided into different categories according to types of substances. Chapter 3 describes the consumption of HFC substances and their substitutes, chapter 4 refers to the consumption of PFC substances and chapter 5 deals with the consumption of SF6 and its possible alternatives. During the project, DTI Energy has been in contact with a number of Danish enterprises and technological institutes to obtain knowledge. That is reflected in the descriptions of the individual areas of application and replacement possibilities. The status report was prepared according to the comments from the steering committee and the steering committee's member's support bases, including the CFC group under the Confederation of Danish Industries. The comments were sent to DTI Energy and relevant factual comments were then included. In addition, DTI Energy has received comments from the following persons: Jan Holmegaard Hansen, COWI, Erik Lyck, DMU (National Environmental Research Institute), Ole John Nielsen, Risø National Laboratory, Rolf Segerstrøm, Electrolux, Stockholm and Alexander Pachai, AirCon A/S. Lists of references on ammonia refrigeration systems, installed by Sabroe Refrigeration and Gram Refrigeration during recent years in Denmark, have also been received. DTI Energy would like to thank everybody who has contributed to this report with comments and suggestions. In the final report all fields of application have been revised with regard to new information which e.g. has been obtained via renewed contact with relevant companies and from knowledge obtained about substitution possibilities from abroad. Parallel with this report, DTI Energy has prepared a corresponding report for the Nordic Council of Ministers. It deals with more or less the same topics as the Danish report. However, some topics have been dealt with in greater detail such as e.g. consumption of SF6 in the production of magnesium, consumption of SF6 in connection with the production of power switches and emission of PFC substances in connection with aluminium production. These industrial fields are typical for other On the other hand, the Danish report is more detailed about specifically Danish topics, e.g. production of refrigerators, cooling containers, district heating pipes, jointing foam and noise insulating windows. Appendix B in this report has been prepared in co-operation with the Nordic project and will also form part of the Nordic report. As it was possible to gain access to the status report on the Internet we have received inquiries from a number of foreign researchers. In particular, we would like to mention correspondence with Mr. Jochen Harnich from Massachusetts Institute of Technology who we have exchanged information with, in particular concerning consumption and emission of PFC substances and SF6.   [Front page] [Contents] [Previous] [Next] [Top]