With an objective to support local and regional OEM partners in designing, incubating and testing new refrigerants, Honeywell has inaugurated a refrigerant laboratory at the Honeywell India Technology Center (HITC) in Gurgaon, Haryana. This facility will also help them transition to low-global-warming-potential (LGWP) alternatives. The lab was unveiled by Robert Kemp, Deputy Minister Counselor, Economic, Environment, Science, and Technology at the United States Embassy. The day of inauguration also celebrates the fifth anniversary of the HITC, one of the company’s main technology development hubs outside of the United States.
Honeywell manufactures and supplies refrigerants worldwide under the Solstice and Genetron brand names for a range of applications, including refrigeration, building and automobile air conditioning. Honeywell works closely with OEMs to support the transition to next generation products. India has committed to cutting down hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) use and is one of the key signatories to the Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol. By reducing the use of chemicals with high global-warming-potential (GWP), the amendment aims to limit the global temperature increase to no more than 0.5°C by the end of the century.
As per the company – Worldwide adoption of Solstice products has resulted in the reduction of more than 39 million metric tons of greenhouse gases to date, equal to permanently eliminating emissions from more than 7.5 million cars.
Speaking of the new Honeywell laboratory, the facility is equipped with modern equipment to evaluate air conditioning and refrigeration technologies. The lab can simulate in environmental chambers a full spectrum of global temperatures, from the hottest places on earth to the coldest.
As of now Honeywell and its suppliers have joined hands for an USD 900 million investment program in technology development and new capacity based on the former’s hydro fluoro–olefin (HFO) tech. This technology is claimed to be able to help customers lower their carbon footprint without sacrificing end-product performance.
On the occasion, Julien Soulet, Managing Director for Honeywell Fluorine Products in Europe, Middle East, Africa and India said that Honeywell is committed to providing next-generation solutions that are available today as an option to support the Indian government in transitioning from HFCs to environmentally preferable materials. With the launch of this laboratory at HITC, they look forward to working hand-in-hand with Indian partners to design near drop-in refrigeration solutions that help them meet their environmental commitments.
Commenting on the inauguration, Rajiv Banavali, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Honeywell, Advanced Materials said that Honeywell’s new state-of-the-art refrigerant lab is designed to support local customers and partners in India as they work to transition to next-generation materials. He further added that the first mover customers in the region will benefit from the development of an industry based on environmentally preferable LGWP refrigerants that is aligned with the Government of India’s vision of Make in India.
