An Innovative Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Circular Economy System for Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Europe via Extensive Reuse of Existing Fluorinated Gases

Nikolaos Barmparitsas, Sotirios Karellas, Platon Pallis, Sotirios Thanopoulos () and Daniel Kobelt
Additional contact information
Nikolaos Barmparitsas: Daikin Hellas, Ag. Konstantinou 50, Maroussi, 15124 Athens, Greece
Sotirios Karellas: Laboratory of Steam Boilers and Thermal Plants, National Technical University of Athens, Zografou Campus, Heroon Polytehneiou 9, 15780 Athens, Greece
Platon Pallis: Laboratory of Steam Boilers and Thermal Plants, National Technical University of Athens, Zografou Campus, Heroon Polytehneiou 9, 15780 Athens, Greece
Sotirios Thanopoulos: Laboratory of Steam Boilers and Thermal Plants, National Technical University of Athens, Zografou Campus, Heroon Polytehneiou 9, 15780 Athens, Greece
Daniel Kobelt: Daikin Airconditioning Central Europe, Lemböckgasse 59/1/1, 1230 Vienna, Austria

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 23, 1-15

Abstract: Reducing emissions from fluorinated gases (F-gases) is considered one of the key conditions for the European Union (EU) to be able to meet the requirements of the European Green Deal, primary objectives of which are the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 and the gradual transition to net climate neutrality by 2050. To this end, a quota system for hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) is already in place, introduced through the updated F-Gas Regulation (517/2014). The aim of this paper is to review an innovative scheme currently under development that strongly promotes the Recovery, Recycling and Reuse (3R) of F-gases extracted from the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC-R) equipment of the building sector, thus offering a sustainable alternative source for refrigerant supplies. Therefore, the basic operating principles of the so-called “3R ECOSYSTEM” are outlined and especially its three main components, which are: the self-certification/self-declaration platform, the F-gas identification and recycling units (prototypes) and the Retradeables marketplace. In addition, an overview of both the demonstration phase and the scheduled replication phase of the 3R ECOSYSTEM is provided, including the estimated impact on carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) savings due to the progressive uptake of the circular use of existing F-gases across Europe.

Keywords: Retradeables project; 3R ECOSYSTEM; circular economy; used F-gases; recovery; recycling; reclamation; HVAC-R systems; reduction in CO 2 emissions; Europe’s decarbonisation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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