Air Conditioner Refrigerants: Why it Matters

Have you ever wondered how an air conditioner cools the room? An essential component that makes this happen is the refrigerant — a medium that absorbs heat and readily lowers temperatures. Since its inception, these cooling agents have earned a bad reputation for harming the environment, but the industry’s collective R&D efforts have resulted in new refrigerants that are more energy-efficient and climate-friendly.

In March 2020, Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) introduced a voluntary label to enable consumers to identify and select air-conditioner and refrigerator models that use climate-friendly refrigerants with lower Global Warming Potential (GWP), such as the R32. The agency will also be progressively phasing out equipment that use high-GWP refrigerants, by restricting the supply of household air conditioners using refrigerants with a GWP above 750 from October 2022.

The Case for R32

Touted as the ‘next generation’ of refrigerants, R32 offers a plethora of benefits, and many air conditioner manufacturers now consider the R32 the refrigerant of choice due to its energy efficiency, effectiveness, cleanliness, and safety. 

A more climate-friendly choice, R32 offers a low GWP of 677 — approximately one-third of the R410A (GWP of 1,924) that is currently the most common refrigerant in air conditioners.  R32 also boasts a zero ozone depleting potential, and is easier to use and recycle as it is a single component refrigerant.

Air conditioning systems using the R32 refrigerant possess a higher refrigeration capacity and thermal conductivity, so they typically require 20% less refrigerant and consume less energy, while delivering a higher power output. This higher efficiency results in an increase in performance, which helps to lower energy bills and reduce carbon emissions. With the R32, users can rest easy knowing that they are contributing to the fight against climate even while they enjoy greater cost-savings in the long term.

The benefits that come with the use of R32 are plenty, and it is easy to see why R32 has become a refrigerant of choice in most new air-conditioning units from leading global manufacturers.

Secure a Cost-Effective and Sustainable Future with Mitsubishi Electric

While there remains a lot of R410A equipment in the market, the introduction of more R32 systems will rapidly change the air conditioning market in Singapore over the next couple of years. This will affect anyone who uses air conditioning systems, or commissions, designs, installs, and maintains them.

As one of the world's leading names in the manufacture and sales of electrical and electronic products and systems, Mitsubishi Electric strives to develop the most creative, innovative, and efficient solutions that will help realise the vision of a vibrant and sustainable society. We continue to challenge ourselves in the development of cutting-edge solutions to bolster our extensive line-up of R32 systems — with hopes of making this climate-friendly option the standard in the refrigeration and air-conditioning sector. This will advance efforts to reduce greenhouses gas emissions and strengthen the country’s commitments under the Singapore Green Plan 2030 to build a more sustainable future.