Draft Federal Offset Protocol: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Refrigeration Systems

Emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) from refrigeration or air conditioning equipment are caused by releases during equipment installation, leaks from normal operations and when charging equipment with refrigerant, either initially or when re-filling (top-up). Lowering the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of refrigerants used in commercial and industrial refrigeration systems in Canada ensures that unavoidable equipment leaks and the associated impacts on climate change are minimized to the extent possible.

The federal offset protocol for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Refrigeration Systems is intended for use by a Proponent implementing a meaningful transition away from refrigerants containing HFCs that have high GWP values, in order to generate federal offset credits under the Greenhouse Gas Offset Credit System Regulations (Canada). Proponents will need to follow the methodology and requirements in the final version of this protocol to quantify and report greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions achieved from the retrofit of existing refrigeration or air conditioning equipment to use a low-GWP refrigerant, the replacement of existing refrigeration or air conditioning equipment with similar equipment containing a low-GWP refrigerant, or in a new facility, the installation of new refrigeration or air conditioning equipment using an ultra low-GWP refrigerant. Emissions reductions under this protocol cannot be generated from reducing or replacing ozone-depleting substances (ODS) contained in baseline scenario refrigerant, or from an expansion of existing refrigeration equipment.

ECCC is seeking public input on the draft protocol for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Refrigeration Systems to help inform the final protocol. The deadline for comments on this draft protocol is February 18, 2022. To submit feedback on the draft protocol, or for more information on this consultation process, please email the Offsets and Emissions Trading Section at creditscompensatoires-offsets@ec.gc.ca.