QUANTIFYING AND REDUCING HALOCARBON EMISSIONS AT ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS Adam Meier1, Martin Wolf2, Bridget Nyland3, Sejong Youn 4, Debra Stump4, and Wendy Jacobs4 • • • • • • • • 1. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health 2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 3. Harvard Business School 4. Harvard Law School • • • • • • • • Halocarbons Halocarbons at Harvard University Halocarbon Alternatives Halocarbons are among the most potent Drop-in replacements can reduce Harvard’s greenhouse gases ever emitted. –1 Emissions (MTCOeq) emissions by 336 MTCO2eq yr . Halocarbon(a) Use (lbs.) Emissions(b) (MTCO 2eq) • 54 HalocarbonHarvard Use (lbs.)(lbs.) 4 Emissions (MTCO22eq) • Inventory includes units 100000105 ) 1010100004 Global Warming Potentials (GWPs) 100 to ) 10 -1 10 -1 with ≥50 lbs. (3). ) 10,000 times greater than CO2 (1). Hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) 3 331000 10 HCFC 101010 2 eq. • • Emissions account for 14% of warming. 4 Require modifications to existing equipment. • About 100 units use ≥50 1000010104 • An additional 0.5 ˚C of warming by 2100 if • Next-generation halocarbon refrigerant with lbs. 2 2 10 1010 2100 emissions are unabated (2). (lbs.) CFC HFC low GWP. Mild flammability and environmental • 10003 Halon Leaks determined from 1010 1 1 toxicity concerns. H 10 101 10 F service contracts. 10 We examine the use and emissions of (Metric Tons CO F C Avg. Leak Rate (lbs. yr Harvard Halocarbon Use Harvard Halocarbon Use F 0 Avg. Leak Rate (MTCE yr 0 C 100102 100 1 C halocarbons at Harvard University. • Average leak rate is 3 to 1010 2 CFC-11HCFC-123 HCFC-22HFC-134a HFC-404a HFC-407cHFC-410a Halons 101 HFC-134aHCFC-22HFC-404a HCFC-123 HFC-410a HFC-407c CFC-12HCFC-408a HFC-507 Natural Refrigerants H F • 10% of stock. (Industry Halocarbon represent 2% of annual emissions. • Low GWP refrigerants including carbon dioxide, • average is 15% (4)). Total annual emissions: 2770 metric tons of CO2 ammonia, and hydrocarbons. equivalents (MTCO2eq). • Often more energy efficient (15-20%). • Scaling up to 7 Boston area universities’ • Using natural refrigerants can preempt future –1 emissions: ~13,000 MTCO2eq yr . Natural regulation. HFCs HFOs F F Refrigerants Roadmap to Reduction Newer: More Can be used in all Currently limited Cl Cl Cl H common in F F Application applications to refrigeration C C C C C HVAC and Auto Cl Steps to Reduce Emissions Equipment Lifecycle Analysis F H Energy Generally Often more Cl F H F Baseline H 1. Use our halocarbon manual to plan • Equipment Lifecycle: (1) Purchasing/ Efficiency lower energy efficient Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) phaseout. Selection, (2) Operation (3) End of life Varies: Can be Generally Class Class 1 Class 3 (C H ) • Consist of chlorine, fluorine, and carbon. High Flammability 2L 3 8 1. Create inventory of halocarbon use and • Halocarbon emissions can be reduced or Class 1 (CO2) ozone depleting potential. Production banned. emissions; identify easy replacements. at each stage. GWP High Medium Very Low Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) 2. Minimize leaks on existing equipment. • Like CFCs, but hydrogen lowers ozone depletion. 3. Use reclaimed refrigerant and recycle Production being phased out. Equipment Equipment HFCs until production phase out. End of Life Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) Phase Selection Operation 4. Adopt contract language for and Policy Recommendations • No chlorine, very low ozone depletion. Potent procure non-halocarbon equipment. greenhouse gases. Prioritization Leak Detection Destruction Internal pledge to reduce halocarbon use. 5. Implement pilot projects to Matrix Reclaimed Refrigerant Approach Recovery demonstrate feasibility. “Voluntary commitments by Harvard and the Boston Offset Offset GRC Higher Ed group to reduce HFC’s could catalyze 6. Commit to “Kigali Pledge.” HFCs CFCs,HCFCs the momentum needed to show the world we’re still in U.S. Regulatory Gap on Kigali.” –Gina McCarthy, former EPA Administrator Prioritization Matrix Pilot Project 100 10090 85% redux. Montreal Protocol Stoplight criteria for upgrading equipment: 1 2 3 4 5 80 R404a 7080 • International treaty to phase out ozone depleting Green: Ready for Upgrade 60 5060 6 7 8 9 10 11 40 substances (CFCs and HCFCs). Yellow: Moderate Barriers R442 3040 20 Red: Upgrade Unlikely in Near Term 1020 Kigali Amendment 11 individual units servicing cold 00 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 • Update to the Montreal Protocol. Prescribes phase Green Yellow Red storage rooms. Collectively, units use 2020 2025 2030 2035 % of Baseline Use End of Life < 5 Years 5-10 Years >10 Years out of HFC production. Not Ratified by U.S. Halons, Medium and Low Pressure 300 lbs. of HFC-404a. Refrigerant CFCs, HCFCs High Pressure Systems Clean Air Act Section 608 Use a more efficient HFC References Ease of Drop-In Equipment Fire and Building (1) IPCC Fifth Assessment Report, 2014. (2) Primer on Short Lived • Regulations prescribing maintenance and leak repair Upgrade Replacement Change Out Code Restrictions • Replace HFC-404a with HFC-442a. Climate Pollutants, IGSD, 2013. (3) 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F. (4) for equipment using HFCs. Rescission Proposed. Capital Cost < $50,000 ~$250,000 > $500,000 10% more energy efficient, 50% Methodology for the Quantification of GHG Emissions from Serves as Runs in lower GWP. Refrigeration Systems, ACR, 2018). System Single Unit/ Back-Up Parallel with Lack of Regulation Means Room for Leadership! Criticality Critical System • 10 MTCO2eq avoided annually! This work was supported by the Harvard Office for Sustainability and Only other Units M.I.T. Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences..