Heat pumps using 'natural refrigerants' in the form of CO_2 and propane are now a compelling option, driven by the benefit of environmental sustainability and energy costs, contends Tim Rook. Huge numbers of heat pumps will be fitted over the next few years and beyond. If each of those is charged with HFC or HFO refrigerants then we have a massive issue to deal with. If we take the average charge of an average refrigerant, assuming a 10 per cent loss of the gas either in use or at the end of the heat pump's life and installed at the government's 600,000 a year rate, it would have the same climate impact as running a 500 kW boiler flat out for 656 years. There is no doubt that we must move away from these damaging, expensive refrigerants.
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