Why Switching to Low-GWP Refrigerants Matters More Than Ever
Every year on April 22nd, Earth Day calls on individuals, industries, and governments around the world to reflect on their environmental impact and take steps toward a more sustainable future. At Applied Thermal Control, this moment serves as a reminder of the role we play – not only in supporting the laboratories and industries we serve, but also in helping to reduce the environmental burden of high GWP refrigerants.
Learn more below about how ATC are doing their bit for the planet by:
- Delivering excellent build quality
- Developing and adopting low-GWP technologies
- Helping customers reduce water use (which also reduces CO₂ emissions)
What is GWP – and Why Does It Matter?
GWP, or Global Warming Potential, is a measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere over a given time, typically 100 years, compared to carbon dioxide, which has a GWP of 1. Some legacy refrigerants, such as R404A and R410A, have GWPs in the thousands – meaning they are thousands of times more potent than CO₂ in contributing to global warming.
Even small leaks of these refrigerants, which can occur during servicing, handling, or over a chiller’s lifetime, can have significant climate impacts. Multiply that by the number of cooling systems operating worldwide, and it becomes clear why the pressure to transition to lower-GWP alternatives is so urgent.
Many industrial cooling systems leak between 5-10% of their refrigerant charge annually. Thanks to our careful design process, robust build quality, and rigorous testing, Applied Thermal Control chillers are expertly engineered so that they shouldn’t leak at all under normal operating conditions.
But even at this minimal level, refrigerants with high GWP can still have a notable environmental impact over time. For example, a unit charges with just 5kg of R404A, leaking at 1% per year over 10 years would result in 1961kg CO₂e. That’s still equivalent to driving over 4,700 miles in a typical petrol car, roughly the distance from London to Cairo and back.
The Industry is Changing – and So Are We
Driven by international agreements such as the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, and increasingly stringent regional regulations such as the EU and UK F-Gas regulations, the cooling industry is undergoing a transformation. The focus is shifting toward refrigerants with lower environmental impact, including natural refrigerants like R290 and newer HFO blends like R454C, both of which offer much lower GWPs compared to legacy gases.
At Applied Thermal Control, we’ve responded to this challenge by launching a new generation of recirculating chillers using R290 and R454C, significantly reducing the environmental footprint of our systems without compromising on performance, safety, or reliability.
Want to Know the Impact of Your Current System?
Understanding the real-world impact of your current cooling system is a great first step. That’s why we’ve included a simple way to estimate emissions using this formula:
Leak Impact (kg CO₂e) = Charge x Leak Rate x GWP x Years
Here are two real-world examples based on ATC chillers, using an ultra-low 0.1% annual leak rate over 10 years.
Example 1 – K9 (R407C system, 2kg charge, GWP = 1774)
2 x 0.001 x 1774 x 10 = 35.48kg CO₂e
Equivalent to driving approximately 85 miles in a petrol car.
Example 2 – H12 (R454C system, 2.23kg charge, GWP = 146)
2.23 x 0.001 x 146 x 10 = 3.26kg CO₂e
Equivalent to driving just 8 miles in a petrol car.
Even with extremely low leakage, the type of refrigerant still makes a meaningful difference – especially across fleets or long operating lifespans.
The Hidden Costs of High-GWP Refrigerants
Using high-GWP refrigerants isn’t just bad for the planet – it can also carry practical and financial consequences:
Increased regulatory burden
F-Gas quotas and bans are tightening, and refrigerants with GWPs over certain thresholds are being phased out.
Rising costs
As supply dwindles, high-GWP refrigerants are becoming increasingly expensive to purchase and maintain.
Sustainability goals
Many of our customers operate in sectors where environmental stewardship is non-negotiable. Switching to low-GWP chillers supports their environmental sustainability goals and net-zero commitments.
Reliability and Making the Switch: What to Consider: Maintaining Process Integrity
If you’re currently using a chiller system with a high-GWP refrigerant, now is the time to assess your options. Whether you’re replacing ageing equipment or planning for future needs, our team can help to identify suitable low-GWP solutions tailored to your application, whether it’s in a pharmaceutical lab, university research centre, or industrial facility.
Don't Forget Water!
Refrigerants aren’t the only part of the sustainability story – water waste is another hidden cost of outdated cooling methods. If you’re still using mains-fed tap water for cooling, you could be using far more than you think. A recirculating chiller is not only more efficient but can dramatically reduce your site’s water consumption. Learn more about this in our blog, The Costly Cooling Conundrum.
Earth Day is Every Day
Earth Day is a powerful moment to reflect – but real change comes from sustained action. By choosing equipment with a lower GWP, you’re not just complying with regulations – you’re actively contributing to a cleaner, cooler planet.
Let’s work together to make cooling more sustainable. If you’d like to learn more about our R290 or R454C product ranges – or get help estimating your system’s environmental impact, get in touch!
