Facilitating global conversion to HFC-32 for air-conditioning, cooling and heat pump equipment
Dubai, UAE [September 13, 2015]
- Daikin Industries, Ltd., the world’s leading air conditioner and
refrigerant manufacturer based in Osaka, Japan, announced today it is
offering companies worldwide free access to 93 patents, to encourage
companies to develop and commercialize air conditioning, cooling and
heat pump equipment that use HFC-32 as a single component refrigerant.
Daikin’s action is aimed at encouraging manufacturers worldwide to adopt
sustainable comfort cooling and heating technologies that use HFC-32, a
refrigerant with a lower global warming impact than commonly-used
refrigerants.
HFC-32
(difluoromethane) is a next generation refrigerant that addresses a
range of environmental considerations in a balanced manner. It is a
non-ozone depleting substance, is energy efficient, affordable, is
easier to recycle, and has a global-warming potential (GWP) that is
one-third of that of R-410A, the most commonly used refrigerant. Daikin
believes that these advantages make it the most balanced and promising
next-generation refrigerant solution to reduce the environmental
footprint of residential and commercial air-conditioning, cooling and
heat pump equipment.
The avoided carbon
emission benefits of a transition to HFC-32 would be very significant.
If all presently used R-410A refrigerant is replaced by HFC-32, the
total CO2equivalent impact of HFCs could be reduced by up to 24% in
2030, compared to business as usual scenarios.
“Daikin has been
offering free access to these patents in emerging markets since 2011 to
accelerate the phase-out of ozone-depleting refrigerants, such as
HCFC-22,” said Shinya Okada, Daikin’s Senior Executive Officer. “Given
the urgent need to address climate change, Daikin believes that this is
the right time to extend free access to certain HFC-32 equipment patents
to manufacturers worldwide.”
There is no patent
that covers the HFC-32 chemical itself and it is readily available from
suppliers other than Daikin. This free access to certain patents allows
manufacturers to utilize Daikin’s technologies for air-conditioning,
cooling and heat pump equipment using HFC-32 single component
refrigerant and encourages the global industry to grow responsibly as
well as meet rising demand.
Conversion from
high-GWP refrigerants is already underway. Last year, the European Union
enacted the revised F-gas regulation* to reduce the global-warming
impact of refrigerants. In the United States, the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) is in the process of revising its regulations
that establish acceptable alternatives for ozone depleting and high GWP
refrigerants. In addition, Japan’s Act on Rational Use and Proper
Management of Fluorocarbons, which came into force in April 2015,
encourages conversion from high-GWP refrigerants.
“Sharing
environmentally beneficial air conditioning technologies without royalty
payments can speed up environmental gains at a time when fast action is
essential for climate protection,” said Durwood Zaelke, president of
the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development. “Free access
to patented technologies sets a powerful precedent for other companies
aiming to be environmental champions.”
Companies interested in obtaining access to these patents should contact Daikin Legal.
*EU Regulation 517/2014 of 16 April 2014 on fluorinated greenhouse gases
