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SPIEGEL: CO2 MAC protects environment |
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Given that the German car industry will have to phase out high global warming refrigerants by 2011, suppliers now focus on CO2 Technology as the preferred option for Mobile Air Conditioning, writes SPIEGEL ONLINE, Germany's most-quoted online magazine.
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2007-05-02
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Facing a mandatory phase-out of the current refrigerant HFC-134a for new cars by 2011 and for all models by 2017, and given that more than 80% of all new cars registered in Germany feature air conditioning, automotive suppliers are now working on sustainable alternatives to be introduced at an early stage. A favoured option of leading climate control systems manufacturers is the natural refrigerant CO2 (R744) that will substantially reduce vehicle greenhouse gas emissions.
This is the main message from an article published by SPIEGEL ONLINE on 30 April that highlights the direct environmental benefits of CO2 by quoting as an example that it would take 1,300 kg* of R744 to harm the atmosphere in the same way as only 1 kg of HFC-134a does. More generally, the article draws the reader's attention to the fact that energy-efficient cooling systems will contribute significantly to a further reduction of the car industry's carbon footprint.
Experts want tests to include air conditioning
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Estimations point at an additional fuel consumption of up to 6 litres due to the operation of the air conditioning. As these results are based on single studies, automotive experts and the Federal Environmental Agency (UBA) demand regular and standardized tests that reflect the actual fuel consumption of MAC. They argue that nowadays carmakers should not only advertise the existence of a cooling system but also its fuel use to identify environmentally safe and energy-efficient technology.
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Positions
"There is the intention to switch to CO2 as a refrigerant – this may sound odd but it is by all means the right way to go," says Karl Otto Schallaböck from the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment, Energy.
"Mobile Air Conditioning with refrigerants based on CO2 are by far less harmful [than current systems]," confirms Ronald Scheithauer from the world's third largest automobile club ADAC.
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More information:
› Find the original article on SPIEGEL ONLINE (German)
Other media that have reported on this issue
› 30.04.2007: Stuttgarter Zeitung
› 30.04.2007: Stuttgarter Nachrichten
› 27.04.2007: Thüringer Allgemeine Zeitung
› 27.04.2007: Thüringer Landeszeitung
› 20.04.2007: Autogazette.de
› 20.04.2007: Netzeitung.de
› 20.04.2007: N24
* Note: According to latest scientific knowledge the Global Warming Potential of HFC-134a is no longer set at 1,300 but was raised to 1,410 compared to that of 1 for CO2.
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