Honeywell Solstice Low-Global-Warming-Potential Technology Reduces Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Honeywell, announced that global adoption of its Solstice low-global-warming-potential (GWP) refrigerants, blowing agents and aerosols has avoided potential release of the equivalent of more than 250 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, equal to eliminating the potential emissions from more than 52 million cars per year.

Honeywell’s breakthrough Solstice hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) technology, which helps customers lower their carbon footprint and improve energy efficiency without sacrificing end-product performance, is used in various applications, including refrigerants for supermarkets, air conditioning for cars and trucks, blowing agents for insulation, propellants for personal and household care and solvents for cleaning solutions.

Honeywell has already invested a billion dollars in research, development, and new capacity for the technology, having anticipated the need for lower-GWP solutions to combat climate change more than a decade ago..

To strengthen the Make in India footprint, the Honeywell India Technology Center (HITC) opened a refrigerant technology development center in February 2017 to support local and regional OEM partners in designing, incubating and testing new refrigerants, while helping them transition to lower-GWP alternatives.

“The successful deployment of safe, lower GWP alternatives such as Solstice is critical to meet phasedown targets for higher-GWP materials that were agreed to in the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol,” said George Koutsaftes, President, Honeywell Advanced Materials. “Honeywell will continue to support the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

The Solstice line includes:

• Solstice yf, an ultra-low GWP refrigerant for automobile air conditioning systems that is currently used in more than 100 million vehicles globally and is expected to grow to 125 million vehicles over the next few years.
• Solstice N40, with a GWP approximately 60% lower than legacy hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants, is the world’s most adopted, lowest-GWP replacement refrigerant for 404A in the supermarket industry, with more than 60,000 installations in supermarkets across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.
• Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent (LBA), an ultra-low GWP solution used in a variety of rigid foam insulation applications, including residential and commercial refrigeration equipment, spray foam, pour-in-place insulation, and insulated metal panels.
• Solstice Propellant, a non-flammable, low GWP solution for aerosol applications, including personal care products, pressure dusters, lubricants and cleaners, and disinfectants.
• Solstice ze, an energy efficient, ultra-low GWP refrigerant, has been adopted by heat pump manufacturers to deliver low-carbon and energy cost savings in groundbreaking projects throughout Europe. And Solstice zd, an ultra-low GWP solution is currently used to cool the Channel Tunnel, reducing the energy consumption and carbon footprint of the landmark railway tunnel.

“India is the world’s third-largest energy consuming country, and per one study[2], space cooling is likely to consume around 56% of the total primary energy supply by 2027-28,” said Hitesh Mehta, Regional General Manager, Advanced Materials, Honeywell India. “The use of our Solstice ze solution in sustainable heat pump technology that replaces fossil-fuel based heating is an economical solution for customers to maximize energy savings and reduce carbon emissions.”

About half of Honeywell’s investment in new product introduction research and development is directed towards products that improve environmental and social outcomes for customers, such as Solstice. This aligns with the company’s commitment to become carbon neutral in its facilities and operations by 2035, building on a track record to sharply reduce its greenhouse gas intensity as well as its decades-long history of innovation to help its customers meet their environmental and social goals.

Honeywell is a world leader in the development, manufacture and supply of refrigerants that are sold worldwide under the Solstice and Genetron brand names for a wide range of applications including refrigeration and air conditioning for buildings and automobiles.