The GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership

1. The GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership GreenChill &Natural Refrigerants

2. U.S. Food Retail Refrigeration • Environmental Impact • 35,000,000 lbs. of supermarket refrigerant emissions annually • DX (direct expansion) systems • R-22 refrigerant (at least 50% of stores) • High GWP substitute refrigerants (maybe 50% of stores) • Clean Air Act & Regulations to reduce supermarket refrigerant emissions • Leak repair trigger for equipment that leaks 35% of its charge annually

3. The GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership • Voluntary partnership program with food retailers to reduce their impact on the ozone layer and climate change • Measure emissions → set goals → measure again • Store Certification Program • Promoting advanced refrigeration technology, strategies, practices

4. GreenChill Expansion • Launched with 10 founding partners in Nov. 2007 • Less than 2 years later: • 46 partner companies • 6533 food retail stores • 47 of 50 states (+DC) • about $120 billion in sales

5. GreenChill Food Retail Partners

6. GreenChill Partner Achievements • GreenChill’s supermarket partners emit on average 12.3% of their charge (vs. 25% national average) • If every supermarket in the nation reduced refrigerant emissions down to 12.3%... • Potential greenhouse gas savings of 22,000,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent PER YEAR • Potential to save 240 ODP tons PER YEAR • Over $108,000,000 industry savings PER YEAR

7. Recent Progress for Natural Refrigerants • CO2 use as primary refrigerant – EPA’s SNAP Program • CO2 use as secondary refrigerant • Propane use for “stand alone commercial refrigeration equipment” is going to be found acceptable by SNAP program • Natural refrigerant protocol being implemented for GreenChill platinum level certification • Signs of increased interest over past few months

8. Price Chopper - Saratoga, NY StoreCO2 Cascade Remodel • First CO2 Cascade System in the U.S. (low temp. only) • Positive results with the system • Low carbon footprint • Low cost of refrigerant ($.50/lb.) • Smaller line sizes • Reduced copper piping • Increased system efficiency

9. Price Chopper - Saratoga, NY StoreCO2 Cascade Remodel

10. Food Lion - Columbia, SC StoreCO2 Cascade

11. Food Lion - Columbia, SC StoreCO2 Cascade

12. Food Lion - Atlanta, GA StoreCO2 Cascade

13. Food Lion - Atlanta, GA StoreCO2 Cascade

14. Food Lion - Atlanta, GA StoreCO2 Cascade

15. Other Factors Affecting Acceptance • US proposal to phase down HFC use under Montreal Protocol • US Greenhouse Gas Legislation is expected • Price pressure due to R-22 phaseout? • Isobutane use is going to be found acceptable for home refrigerators and freezers by SNAP program

16. General Challenges • Need application to start SNAP process • Lack of svc. tech experience/training • Lack of data • Fear of liability, esp. for NH3 & HCs • Publicity about dangers, toxicity, flammability • Higher costs of natural refrigerant systems • No economies of scale yet, low volume • High prices for European equipment • No manufacturer cross over among US manufacturers

17. General Challenges • No “drop-in” retrofits available for existing systems • Multiple layers of complicated regulations-federal, state, local, building codes, permitting • No understanding among local officials about advantages and disadvantages of natural refrigerants • No good guidelines for safe implementation • Philosophical debate: stop leaks or move to low GWP refrigerant?

18. General Challenges • Reluctance to change – satisfaction with chemical refrigerants • Inexpensive • Readily available • Lots of training by chemical companies • Chemical systems are very forgiving and safe – natural refrigeration systems require more care with system design, installation, servicing

19. Specific Challenges – CO2 • No US manufacturer for transcritical systems • ASHRAE has very specific language for design pressures – US Guidelines are stringent & conservative; liability • Trying to adapt it for cascade systems • Transcritical standards are a long way off • No Underwriters Laboratory approval yet • Energy penalty esp. in warmer climates • Hard to explain difference between “good” CO2 and “bad” CO2

20. Specific Challenges for Natural Refrigerants - hydrocarbons • Not yet SNAP approved for commercial refrigeration • Very high charges would be needed – flammability; liability

21. Specific Challenges for Natural Refrigerants - Ammonia • SNAP-approved for use as primary refrigerant in secondary loop commercial applications; no demand • Use in industrial areas; supermarkets located in residential neighborhoods • Must have engineer on-site 24/7/365 & process safety management plan • Difficulties servicing equipment • Lg. industrial plants can shut down facility for inspections/maintenance • No service tech. cross over - different education, pay levels • Different end-user needs • Industrial systems - durable, expensive, long-term • Supermarket systems – remodeled every 10 years, short-term, cheap

22. For More Info Keilly Witman Stratospheric Protection Division U.S. EPA Tel: (202) 343-9742 witman.keilly@epa.gov www.epa.gov/greenchill