Johnson Controls Selects Opteon™ XL41 (R-454B) as Future Refrigerant Solution to Replace R-410A in North America

Rhea-AI Summary

The Chemours Company has been chosen by Johnson Controls to supply Opteon™ XL41 (R-454B) as the refrigerant for their HVAC products. This low GWP refrigerant achieves a 78% reduction in global warming potential compared to R-410A and aligns with Johnson Controls' sustainability goals. The decision supports regulatory mandates to phase down high-GWP refrigerants, enhancing energy efficiency and minimizing design changes in existing systems. Opteon™ XL41 is positioned as the best low-GWP refrigerant in the HVAC industry, enabling Johnson Controls to meet emission reduction targets.

Positive

• Selection of Opteon™ XL41 by Johnson Controls enhances Chemours' position in the sustainable refrigerant market.
• Opteon™ XL41 offers a 78% reduction in global warming potential (GWP) compared to R-410A, supporting sustainability objectives.
• Minimal design modifications needed for existing HVAC systems facilitate easier market adoption.

Negative

• None.

WILMINGTON, Del., May 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chemours Company has been selected by Johnson Controls, the global leader in smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, to provide Opteon™ XL41 (R-454B) as the future refrigerant solution for their ducted residential and commercial HVAC products, as well as its air-cooled scroll chiller applications. This decision supports Johnson Controls sustainability goals in transitioning away from the use of high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants, such as R-410A, reinforcing their commitment to addressing climate change and lowering customers' emissions. Chemours is a recognized leader in providing sustainable, low GWP refrigerant solutions - driving commercial readiness and the adoption of next-generation refrigerants in the HVACR industry.            

Opteon™ XL41 is a low GWP (AR4: 466), non-ozone depleting refrigerant that offers a 78% reduction in GWP while improving energy efficiency and lowering charge size when compared to R-410A. This refrigerant offers manufacturers the ability to achieve their long-term carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission reduction goals and requires minimal design modifications due to its similar operating temperature and pressure to R-410A. Opteon™ XL41 provides the optimal balance of performance, safety and longevity for future air conditioning applications. 

"We are excited to assist Johnson Controls with meeting their customer needs by providing them a next-generation refrigerant solution that offers a lower GWP and improved energy efficiency for their future residential and commercial HVAC applications, as well as its  air-cooled scroll chillers," said Alisha Bellezza, President of Thermal & Specialized Solutions at Chemours. "Chemours is dedicated to partnering with our customers and the broader HVACR community with technologies that help achieve their sustainability goals while minimizing environmental impact to support the phase down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) in the United States."       

Future regulatory requirements on CO₂ emission reduction will stimulate the transition to lower GWP refrigerants. Opteon™ XL41 has the lowest EPA SNAP¹ approved GWP for unitary applications of all ASHRAE classified A2L (low-toxicity, mild flammability) refrigerants in the HVAC industry today - much lower than the pending 750 GWP limits being proposed. It is compatible with plastic and elastomer materials and POE oil that will minimize working capital design changes and enable an easier transition from a R-410A platform.

"After evaluating several low-GWP alternatives on a variety of performance and market metrics, such as safety, capacity, efficiency, reliability, availability and longevity, we've determined R-454B, sold by The Chemours Company as Opteon™ XL41, to be the best-in-class low-GWP refrigerant," said Katie McGinty, vice president and chief sustainability, government and regulatory affairs officer, Johnson Controls. "This decision reinforces our continued commitment to developing solutions that help transform the environments where people live, work, learn and play, and advances our goal of helping our customers achieve a 16% reduction in emissions by 2030."

This decision was made as the HVAC industry is preparing to phase out high-GWP refrigerants, which are now being formally addressed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the recently passed American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act².

Chemours has been collaborating with industry partners to develop sustainable solutions that provide the performance today demands to achieve the goals of tomorrow. As part of the transition to support the regulatory mandates to phase down HFCs, Chemours will continue to offer cutting-edge technologies, education and ongoing training to value chain partners and the HVACR community.          

¹ Lowest GWP rating of EPA SNAP approved alternatives as of the publishing of this notice.
² https://www.epa.gov/climate-hfcs-reduction/aim-act

About The Chemours Company
The Chemours Company (Chemours or the Company) (NYSE: CC) is a global leader in Titanium Technologies, Thermal & Specialized Solutions, Advanced Performance Materials, and Chemical Solutions providing its customers with solutions in a wide range of industries with market-defining products, application expertise and chemistry-based innovations. We deliver customized solutions with a wide range of industrial and specialty chemicals products for markets, including coatings, plastics, refrigeration, and air conditioning, transportation, semiconductor and consumer electronics, general industrial, mining and oil and gas.  Our flagship products include prominent brands such as Ti-Pure™, Opteon™, Freon™, Nafion™, Krytox™, Teflon™, and Viton™. In 2019, Chemours was named to Newsweek's list of America's Most Responsible Companies. The company has approximately 6,500 employees and 30 manufacturing sites serving approximately 3,300 customers in approximately 120 countries. Chemours is headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware and is listed on the NYSE under the symbol CC.

For more information, we invite you to visit chemours.com or follow us on Twitter @Chemours or LinkedIn. 

Forward-Looking Statements 
This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to a historical or current fact. The words "believe," "expect," "will," "anticipate," "plan," "estimate," "target," "project" and similar expressions, among others, generally identify "forward-looking statements," which speak only as of the date such statements were made. These forward-looking statements may address, among other things, the outcome or resolution of any pending or future environmental liabilities, the commencement, outcome or resolution of any regulatory inquiry, investigation or proceeding, the initiation, outcome or settlement of any litigation, changes in environmental regulations in the U.S. or other jurisdictions that affect demand for or adoption of our products, anticipated future operating and financial performance for our segments individually and our company as a whole, business plans, prospects, targets, goals and commitments, capital investments and projects and target capital expenditures, plans for dividends or share repurchases, sufficiency or longevity of intellectual property protection, cost reductions or savings targets, plans to increase profitability and growth, our ability to make acquisitions, integrate acquired businesses or assets into our operations, and achieve anticipated synergies or cost savings, all of which are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations of future events that may not be accurate or realized. These statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements also involve risks and uncertainties that are beyond Chemours' control. In addition, the current COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the national and global economy and commodity and financial markets, which has had and we expect will continue to have a negative impact on our financial results. The full extent and impact of the pandemic is unknown and to date has included extreme volatility in financial and commodity markets, a significant slowdown in economic activity, and increased predictions of a global recession. The public and private sector response has led to significant restrictions on travel, temporary business closures, quarantines, stock market volatility, and a general reduction in consumer and commercial activity globally. Matters outside our control have affected our business and operations and may or may continue to limit travel of employees to our business units domestically and internationally, adversely affect the health and welfare of our personnel, significantly reduce the demand for our products, hinder our ability to provide goods and services to customers, cause disruptions in our supply chains, adversely affect our business partners or cause other unpredictable events. Additionally, there may be other risks and uncertainties that Chemours is unable to identify at this time or that Chemours does not currently expect to have a material impact on its business. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. Chemours assumes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement for any reason, except as required by law.

CONTACT:

NEWS MEDIA 
Cassie Olszewski
Media Relations and Financial Communications Manager
+1.302.219.7140
media@chemours.com  

INVESTORS 
Jonathan Lock 
VP, Corporate Development and Investor Relations
+1.302.773.2263 
investor@chemours.com 

 

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SOURCE The Chemours Company

FAQ

What refrigerant has Johnson Controls selected from The Chemours Company?

Johnson Controls has selected Opteon™ XL41 (R-454B) as the future refrigerant solution for its HVAC products.

How does Opteon™ XL41 compare to R-410A?

Opteon™ XL41 offers a 78% reduction in global warming potential compared to R-410A.

Why is the selection of Opteon™ XL41 significant for Chemours?

The selection reinforces Chemours' leadership in sustainable refrigerants and supports Johnson Controls' emissions reduction goals.

What are the benefits of using Opteon™ XL41?

Opteon™ XL41 improves energy efficiency and requires minimal design changes for HVAC systems compared to R-410A.

When was the announcement regarding Opteon™ XL41 made?

The announcement was made on May 27, 2021.