Experts at Parasense, the energy and facilities monitoring company, note with concern that 65% of refrigeration systems in the UK remain dependent on HCFCs, predominantly R22, despite the Ozone Depleting Substances Regulations EC 2037/2000 legislation, which bans the use of virgin R22 from 1 January 2010 and the use of recycled R22 on 1 January 2015.
For companies still operating plant using R22, there are three options. Strip out systems and replace with new plant, keep existing plant and retrofit to run on an alternative refrigerant, or manage existing plant to keep operating on recycled R22 up to 2015. Whichever option companies decide to take, clearly there will be an expense to manage at some stage.
But Parasense experts say that those companies planning to wait to invest until 2015 when, with luck, the economy will not be as turbulent, may not be aware that there will be hidden costs in the short term. The price of R22, for example, is estimated to rise by 15 – 20% a quarter from now on, so running plant will become more expensive.
Parasense experts believe that companies planning to wait should seriously consider installing a comprehensive leak detection and management system: undetected leaks will become increasingly expensive, quite apart from being damaging to the environment.
The investment can only be a wise one, since, whenever a company decides to switch, Parasense knows that few realise that a 15% refrigerant leak results in a 100% increase in energy consumption – a terrifying fact as energy prices spiral.
Parasense’s advice to businesses is therefore to put a good leak detection system in place now. With over 20 years’ experience in energy monitoring and services, the company has the knowledge in these and other systems – the systems businesses need to help save money both in the short and long-term.
