The Australian refrigeration sector: decreased emissions, transition to natural refrigerants and a growing workforce

Published in August 2024 by The Expert Group for the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, “Cold Hard Facts 4” presents figures for refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) equipment, refrigerant, energy consumption and emissions in Australia in 2022 and compares them with 2016 figures published in the previous report “Cold Hard Facts 3”. 

 

In 2022, the total expenditure of the Australian RAC industry on new equipment installation, maintenance, wages, and energy consumed in that year was equal to more than 2% of the nation's GDP, supported by a workforce that represents 2.6% of total employment in Australia. Direct employment in the Australian RAC industry rose from about 298,400 jobs in 2016 to 378,000 jobs in 2023.

  

Refrigeration is the largest user of electricity in Australia. The stock of refrigerating equipment consumed 24% of all the electricity produced in the country in 2022. Including stationary and mobile air conditioning, food cold chain and domestic refrigeration equipment, there were over 62 million units of RAC equipment operating in 2022 (compared with 54 million in 2016).

 

Emissions from the refrigeration sector have decreased by over 10% between 2016 and 2022, from 65.10 Mt CO₂e in 2016 to 58.5 Mt CO₂e in 2022. Those estimated total emissions include 51.6 Mt CO₂e of indirect emissions and 6.9 Mt CO₂e of direct emissions as a result of losses of refrigerant gas from operating machinery and along the refrigerant supply lines which does not include emissions at end-of-life (EOL).

Despite a significant electricity consumption, it should be noted that the decarbonisation of the Australian grid electricity generation is well underway. Therefore, the share of energy-related emissions is expected to decrease.

 

The total refrigerant bank in Australia in 2022 is estimated at approximately 55,000 tonnes, including 95% of HFCs (53,750 tonnes including HFO/HFC blends). The uptake of natural refrigerants has been constant, with steady growth in the use of hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide (R744) and ammonia (R717). For instance, 99% of domestic refrigeration appliances sold in 2022 used hydrocarbons and the transition to hydrocarbons is underway for heat pumps and small AC units and small commercial refrigeration equipment. Manufactured domestically, ammonia (R717) makes up by far the largest portion of natural refrigerants in the bank, and is used mainly in industrial refrigeration and cold storage. 

 

For further information, the complete report is available on FRIDOC and on the Australian Government’s website. 

 

 

Source 

Cold Hard Facts 4, Peter Brodribb, Michael McCann, Graeme Dewerson, Jelena Franjić and Graham Anderson, report prepared for the Department of
Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Canberra. CC BY 4.0. https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/ozone/publications/cold-hard-facts-4