Do HCs contribute to global warming?
No. Most hydrocarbons used as refrigerants have a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of below 3, meaning they don’t pose a threat to the earth’s climate in small concentrations. By contrast, R404a, one of the chemical refrigerants hydrocarbons can replace, has a GWP of 3,260. To visualize this figure: 1 kg of released HFC-404a is heating up the atmosphere like 1.1 tonnes of propane or isobutane!
