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The Greenhouse gases: HFCs, PFCs and SF6 3 F-gas consumption3.1 Import of substancesAn overall picture of the trends in imports of greenhouse gases is given in Table 3.1, based on information from importers for the years 1992, 1994-2008. 3.1.1 HFCsHFCs were imported by 9 enterprises in 2008. Five of them imports for resale and four of the importers is consumers bying substances directly from another EU country and use the imported substances in production. In 2008, the total import (minus re-export) of pure HFCs and HFC blends was estimated to 399.4 tonnes. Compared to 2007, where the estimation of total import was 403.2 tonnes, the import has a minor decrease of 3.8 tonnes. The most significant trend in the development is an increase of HFC-407c import and a decrease of the HFC-404A import. The import of HFC-134a is 164.5 tonnes and has only increased with 3.8 tonnes compared to 2007 and might indicate the stagnation in the trend for import level after full implementation of the regulation where new larger HFC refrigeration systems are banned (1/1 2007). The consumption of HFC-134a in commercial refrigeration is quite similar to 2007 and the consumption has increased slightly for household refrigeration application. In 2008, the import of HFCs in products is associated to an import of HFC-134a in medical doze inhalers of 7.2 tonnes. A time series of this application has been work out since it was registered starting in 1998. The total import (bulk + products) of HFC-134a is thereafter 171.7 tonnes in 2008. Import of HFC-404A is further reduced with 15.8 tonnes compared to 2007, and the total import in 2008 is 114.1 tonnes. The consumption og HFC 404A in commercial refrigeration system is reduced with more than 20 tonnes. Thus, the consumption of HFC-404A refrigerant in transport refrigeration systems has increased to 8 tonnes. The third largest HFC import is HFC-407c with an import of 76.8 tonnes in 2008. Compared to 2007, with an import of 50.5 tonnes it is an increase of approx. 26 tonnes. HFC-407c is a substitute refrigerant for HCFC-22 in refrigerators. The import of HFC-152a was 15 tonnes in 2008. This is a small increase of the import in 2007. HFC-152a is used in thermostats. Summarizing, the import has increased for HFC-134a, HFC-152a, HFC-407c and HFC-410A. The particular largest increase is the import of HFC-407c. There is no clear explanation for this trend. The largest decreases in 2008 were import of HFC-404A and HFC 507A. 3.1.2 Sulphur hexafluorideSix importers reported having imported and sold 5.85 tonnes of sulphur hexafluoride in 2008. Sulphur hexafluoride was mainly used in power switches, but smaller amounts are used as an agent for plasma erosion in production of micro chips and in laboratories for analysis purposes. 3.1.3 Perfluorinated hydrocarbonsOne importer has reported import of PFC-14 (CF4) and PFC-318 (c-C4F8) of approx. 0.5 tonnes in 2008. The PFCs are used in production of optical fibres which are a relatively new consumption area in Denmark. The consumption is close to the 2007 consumption of PFCs. Further there has been a small import of 60 kg perfluorpropan C3F8,, which was contained in the blend refrigerant R413A (contain 8% PFC) used in commercial refrigerators. Click here to see: Table 3.1 Developments in bulk imports of greenhouse gases, tonnes. Beside the import of substances stated in table 3.1 there is also an import of HFCs for 100% re-export. These amounts are not included in the table. To be mentioned is import and re-export of HFC-365 and HFC-245fa. These HFCs are used in Danish production of PUR system foam (semi manufactured articles). The production is only for export (use of HFC based PUR systems are banned in Denmark). Furthermore the production does not course emissions through the production process. The particular amount is therefore excluded for further calculation of Danish f-gas emissions. The amounts are known by DEPA. 3.2 Consumption by applicationThe evaluation of consumption divided into application areas is estimated on the basis of information from importers and producers, and on sales reports to the Danish Refrigeration Installers' Environmental Scheme (KMO). Table 3.2 shows consumption distributed according to application.
3.2.1 Consumption of HFC refrigerantThe consumption of HFC refrigerants has no general trend. For HFC-134a the consumption is close to be the same as in 2007, but for HFC-404A, we now have the lowest level of consumption since 1997. In relation to HFC-407c the consumption has increased. The generally low level of refrigerants in commercial refrigeration systems is in particular a consequence of the f-gas regulation where establishment of new HFC installations after 1/1 2007 is banned. The use of HFCs as refrigerant in commercial refrigeration and stationary A/C systems is covering approx. 72 per cent of the total consumption in 2008. The most commonly used refrigerant in commercial refrigeration is still HFC-404A and HFC-134a. The consumption of HFC-134a as a refrigerant in fridges/freezers was approx. 10 per cent of the total consumption in 2008. Most producers has substituted to alternative refrigerants or moved production facilities to other countries. The consumption of refrigerants in vans and lorries for transport refrigeration covers approx. 2 per cent of the total consumption. Consumption by application area is based on information from producers and importers and on data from KMO, which receives reports of the sales of substances from refrigerator installers and automobile garages, etc. (only when drawing-off is more than 1 kg). The consumption of refrigerants for household fridges and freezers is calculated on the basis of information from enterprise end-users. The consumption figures for refrigerants in commercial and stationary A/C systems, and mobile A/C systems and refrigerators are estimated using data from KMO and information from importers as well as statistics on car imports. The consumption of HFCs in medical doze inhalers are based on product statistics from Danish Medical Agency. Table 3.3 shows the consumption by weight of refrigerants according to application area.
Mobile A/C D.A.F. (The Danish Automobile Dealers Association) publishes annual statistics of the number of vehicles in Denmark /17/. These data form the basis for the calculation below of HFC-134a stock in Danish vehicles. Calculations also include a calculation of the proportion of A/C systems installed in vehicles, still undergoing servicing, and therefore still refilled with refrigerants in connection with leakage and other repairs. This calculation forms the basis for determining the amount of HFC-134a refrigerants refilled in vehicles in Denmark in 2008. Refilled stock = Danish consumption. The results are shown in the table below.
The total stock of HFC-134a in mobile A/C systems in Denmark in 2008 was calculated to be about 231.2 tonnes, which is a further increase compared to 2007 stock. In 2008, the volume of HFC-134a filled onto mobile air conditioning systems was 35.7 tonnes. This volume of refrigerants was used solely for refilling in connection with the maintenance of existing systems /16/. It is indicated from suppliers of mobile A/C refrigerants, that the consumption is even higher than this estimated. One supplier assumes the consumption to be at least approx. 40 tonnes of HFC-134a per year 3.2.2 Consumption of HFC as foam blowing agent and as propellantIt is considered that the trend in the recent years is a general reduction of the HFC consumption as a blowing agent and this is the direct consequence of a statutory order on phase-out of F-gases, as well as the fact that there are competitive alternative technologies available on the market. As regards production of system foam for production, there is an increase in the recent years in production of system foam for export. In 2008, the uses of HFCs as propellants in aerosols for specific purposes were about 7 tonnes. This estimate is based on DEPA’s grant of exemptions and production. The consumption seems to be stable tending to a decrease. In 2008, the consumption of HFCs in products is associated with an import of HFC-134a in medical doze inhalers of 7.2 tonnes. As in previous years, there have been no reports of consumption of HFCs for chemical production, fire extinguishing equipment, or other application areas apart from those mentioned. 3.2.3 Consumption of SF6The overall consumption of SF6 in 2008 was estimated to 5.85 tonnes. Consumption of SF6 was used for power switches in high-voltage power systems and laboratories. Consumption of SF6 in production of double glazed thermal windows has been banned since 1. January 2003.
3.2.4 Consumption of PFCsThe consumption of PFCs (per fluoropropane) in 2008 was 0.5 tonnes. The PFC consumption in 2008 derives from to areas:
The optics fibre production used in 2008 PFC-14 (0.1 tonnes) and PFC-318 (0.35 tonnes) for technical purposes. The consumption of blend refrigerant Isceon 49 contained 60 kg PFC-14 used for refrigeration in commercial stationary refrigeration systems.
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