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One thing I find annoying about the argument for heat pumps helping to reduce global warming is no one considers if the refrigerant leaks. R-410A, R-13A, etc.
by alexfromapex 5y ago
One thing I find annoying about the argument for heat pumps helping to reduce global warming is no one considers if the refrigerant leaks. R-410A, R-13A, etc. refrigerants have a pretty high global warming potential (GWP) and it seems like likelihood of a leak is decently high, especially if there is a car crash.
- chrismartin 5y agoThat problem appears mostly solved these days. Household refrigerators and freezers now use propane. Many (most?) new vehicles now use 2,3,3,3-Tetrafluoropropene. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refrigerant#Refrigerants_with_very_low_climate_impact https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refrigerant#Refrigerants_with_... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2,3,3,3-Tetrafluoropropene https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2,3,3,3-Tetrafluoropropene
- ip26 5y agoWith proliferation of AC in every house, that ship is already sailing, and heat pumps replace AC.
- hlieberman 5y agoWe /can/ do better than those refrigerants, though. R-1234yf has a tiny global warming potential compared to even some of the green choices out there like propane or isobutane. There's also the old solutions like CO2, or even ammonia (though that I wouldn't expect anywhere but industrial environments).
- skykooler 5y agoEven for those refrigerants, the GWP should be considered in context - an AC unit only holds a few pounds of refrigerant, which has a similar GWP to the tailpipe emissions of a typical gas-powered car over three months or so.