Pro-Klima Autoklimaanlage LIFE09 INF/DE/000012 - Information campaign"Pro-Klima: Efficient car climatisation through natural cooling substances"
Overview
Background & policy context:
Vehicle air conditioning systems (sometimes called mobile air conditioners) use the chemical refrigerant R134a (tetra-fluorine-ethane), a powerful greenhouse gas. Vehicles release large amounts of R134a as a result to inadequate maintenance and accidents. Mobile air conditioners also consume more energy than other auxiliary vehicle equipment. Some 600 million vehicles worldwide are equipped with air conditioning systems and by 2015 this figure is expected to rise to 1 000 million, emitting a minimum of 270 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent refrigerants into the atmosphere. CO2 is a natural refrigerant, and in 2007, the Association of the German Automotive Industry (VDA) gave its support to the future use of carbon dioxide in mobile air conditioners. Although the German automobile manufacturers promised to prospectively use environmentally friendly CO2 technology at the time of the project application, no concrete orders for CO2 MAC systems had been placed by then. In addition, it was unclear for example, which refrigerant the French and Italian car manufacturers would favour in order to comply with the EU targets in 2011 (Directive 2006/40/EC) .
Objectives:
The project campaigned to reduce environmental pollution caused by vehicle air conditioning systems. There were two main areas of action. Firstly, the project focused on raising awareness about enhancing existing vehicle air conditioning systems, so that energy consumption and resulting emissions would be significantly reduced. (Improved components and materials guarantee against leaks and can make systems more efficient.) At the same time, it also campaigned for the introduction of natural refrigerants to be brought forward.
Specific aims included:
- Providing basic information on the environmental issue – informing and educating consumers about the climate change impact of vehicles’ air conditioning systems and the implementation of the EU Directive on mobile air-conditioning systems (Directive 2006/40/EC);
- Raising awareness and educating motorists about the correct and efficient handling/use of these air conditioning systems and about their climate impact;
- Promoting the positive aspects of the use of natural refrigerants to consumers;
- Motivating fleet operators and car rental companies to select environmentally-friendly air conditioning systems for their vehicles, and to inform their customers about the environmental impacts;
- Using consumer awareness and demand for natural refrigerants to step up the pressure for action among automobile manufacturers; and
- Disclosing high levels of fuel consumption through air-conditioning systems in cars and promoting more efficient systems as well as the integration of the vehicles additional emissions due to air-conditioning in the EU CO2 Regulation for new passenger cars (Regulation (EC) No 443/2009).
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