HFO-1234yf Low GWP Refrigerant LCCP Analysis

HFO-1234yf is a new low global warming refrigerant that has the potential to be a global sustainable solution for automotive air conditioning. An important environmental parameter endorsed by the automotive industry is Life Cycle Climate Performance (LCCP) which represents the cradle-to-grave environmental impact of using a given refrigerant in an application throughout its life cycle. An LCCP analysis was conducted for HFO-1234yf, which has a 100 year direct global warming potential (GWP) of 4, versus the current refrigerant HFC-134a with a 100 year direct GWP of 1430. LCCP calculations were done in several key cities representing different climatic regions of the world using the GREEN-MAC- LCCP^® 2007 model developed by General Motors. The study included both direct emissions from refrigerant leakage and indirect emissions from the energy used to operate an automotive air conditioning system. Regional results were combined based on automobile sales and growth rates to give a global LCCP value. Results indicate HFO-1234yf will yield significant environmental benefit by replacing HFC-134a in automotive air conditioning.