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Project title

F gas Use, Scale and Environment: An Improved Indicative Inventory for Ireland

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

University of Limerick (UL)

Lead Applicant

Yvonne Ryan-Fogarty

Project Abstract

Initially intended to replace ozone depleting substances, F gases are synthetic potent greenhouse gases (GHG) used in numerous applications. International studies indicate that the F gas problem is far from solved. Because of their tenacity, many F gases remain for decades in the atmosphere, with SF6 persisting for upwards of 50,000 years. Worryingly there are concerns that globally F gases (with CFCs and HCFCs) could by themselves cause a half a degree temperature change by 2100. Not only are they a potent GHG they are persistent and difficult to treat and destroy once emitted. Three unfortunate situations lead to increased F gas use 1) Their use as replacements to ozone depleting substances; 2) Use in applications to diminish fossil fuel use, e.g. electrical infrastructure, PV manufacture, heat pumps; and 3) Equipment that humanity needs to cope with existing and imminent climate change e.g. refrigeration and air conditioning. Some of these systems are new additions to our industrial and national infrastructure, whilst others are in flux to lower greenhouse warming potential gases. Tackling and reducing F gases provides humanity with one of the best opportunities to decrease global warming emissions. Understanding the complexity surrounding F gas use, the current scale and present environment is necessary. The entire use, scale, environments of use, and projected emissions arising in Ireland is currently incomplete. The 2019 refinement to the 2006 Guidelines for National Green House Gas Inventories provides updated methodologies, default emission factors and other refinements based on the most up to date science on GHG sources and sinks. The 2019 refinement made changes to the calculations of GHG emissions due to F gases in several key areas. 1) Use of facility level data, 2) Inclusion of more activities, 3) Addition of new gases and applications, 4) Other products and uses such as research and medical applications. This research, FUSE4i: F gas Use, Scale and Environment: An Improved Indicative Inventory for Ireland, sets out to ascertain the impact of the refinement on Ireland’s F gas inventory. Based at the University of Limerick, the professional, academic, and discipline-based knowledge of the research team will advance the F gas inventory for Ireland. This research will support the EPA Emissions Statistics Team to collate relevant data and insight, add supplementary data, and enable the emissions inventory to attain the highest sensitivity possible.

Grant Approved

�99,615.07

Research Hub

Climate Change

Research Theme

n/a

Start Date

01/03/2023

Initial Projected Completion Date

29/02/2024