TABLE OF CONTENTS

approved funding for an additional €7.893 million. As a
result, 45% average energy savings have been achieved
by the subsidised plants.
The result for NR: The funding programme has provided
some stimulus for the CO 2
market in the German retail
sector, as confirmed by several manufacturers. However,
relevant players admit that funding opportunities are
somewhat modest and only retailers have the option to
apply for it, thus providing no strong incentive to suppliers.
Also, at the international level, the International
Climate Initiative (ICI) has been supporting projects in
developing countries, emerging economies and in the
transition countries since 2008. Funded projects include
HVAC&R production plant conversions to natural refrigerants,
or facilitating the development and introduction
of standards for natural refrigerants.
The result for NR: While regulatory restrictions render
the use of traditional direct expansion ammonia systems
in France practically very difficult, indirect ammonia systems
with CO 2
secondary refrigerant, could satisfy the
regulatory conditions specified in French regulations:
ammonia is restricted in a plant room, the system is an
indirect one, and the ammonia charge can be limited to
50-100 kg. However, with hydrocarbons completely out
of the picture, and limitations on the use of ammonia,
HFCs are expected to be widely phased in as HCFC replacements.
France
A French decree forbids the use of flammable refrigerants
including hydrocarbon refrigerants in premises with
access to the public such as supermarkets (Arrêté du 14
février 2000 — Etablissements recevant du Public, Article
CH 35: Production, transport et utilisation du froid).
The same decree allows the use of ammonia in premises
with public access, only if the following conditions are
met simultaneously: 1) it is used in an indirect system; 2)
the ammonia refrigeration system is located in a separate
machine room; and 3) the total amount of ammonia
in a facility is limited to 150kg. This seems to have encouraged
the continuation of HCFC use in the country at
a larger share than other countries in Europe. However,
operators of facilities with public access will soon be facing
the 2015 deadline whereby they will not be able to
top up their refrigeration systems with reclaimed or recycled
HCFCs anymore and will soon after be expected to
shift away from their use.
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