A survey conducted by the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute reported that only 4,231 CFC chiller units were replaced or converted in 1998. At the current rate, only 51% of the 80,000 CFC chillers will be replaced or converted by 2002. It would take until 2010 to completely eliminate CFC chillers in the United States at the current pace.
Production of non-CFC chillers in 1998 for use in the United States and abroad is almost double the rate of CFC chillers manufactured annually 10 years ago despite the slower than expected phaseout. According to the latest survey, there will be 720 conversions of CFC chillers to non-CFC refrigerants and 3,562 replacements in 1999. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that by the year 2000, when it is expected that 44% of CFC chillers are replaced and converted, the energy savings per year will total 7 billion kilowatt hours or $480 million. In addition, the emissions of 4 million tons of carbon dioxide will be avoided.
