In 1995, there were approximately 80,000 large tonnage liquid chillers using chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the United States. By the end of 2002, the number had been reduced to just fewer than 39,000 units, according to the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI). These CFCs have been banned from production in the United States due to concerns about depletion of the Earth’s ozone layer.
ARI stated, “New, non-CFC chillers are vastly more efficient, reducing electricity and maintenance costs. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ‘A new, energy-efficient chiller can easily pay for itself in electricity savings, improved reliability, and lower maintenance costs in five years.’”