As the third generation refrigerant, R32 refrigerant industry faces challenges

R32 refrigerant, also known as difluoromethane refrigerant and refrigerant, belongs to the third generation refrigerant. Compared with R410A refrigerant, R32 refrigerant has the advantages of low GWP value, high refrigeration efficiency, low temperature rise, good energy saving effect, high safety, wide temperature control range, etc., and is widely used in commercial air conditioners, household air conditioners and other fields.

​ ​ ​ ​ Third-generation refrigerants generally refer to hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants (HFCs), including R410a refrigerant, R32 refrigerant, R134a refrigerant and R125 refrigerant, etc. Compared with second-generation refrigerants, third-generation refrigerants have the advantages of low ODP value and high working pressure, and are currently the mainstream refrigerants in the world. R32 refrigerant is a representative product of the third generation refrigerant, accounting for nearly 70% of the market. Compared with R410a refrigerant and R134a refrigerant, R32 refrigerant has the highest refrigeration efficiency and the widest range of applications.

In June 2021, our government officially accepted the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer and will implement the provisions mentioned in the amendment to gradually reduce the production and use of HFCs refrigerants starting from 2024. In this context, the production and application of third-generation refrigerants in my country will be restricted, and its market share will decline. The fourth-generation refrigerants with environmental protection and energy-saving advantages will become the mainstream products in the refrigerant market, which will provide my country’s R32 refrigeration The development of the pharmaceutical industry brings huge challenges.

According to the “2023-2028 China R32 Refrigerant Industry Market In-depth Research and Development Prospects Forecast Report released by the Industrial Research Center, R32 refrigerant is mainly used in commercial air conditioners, household air conditioners and other fields, and is the mainstream air conditioner refrigerant. With the advancement of technology and the growth of market demand, my country’s air-conditioning output continues to increase. According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, my country’s air conditioner output will reach 222.473 million units in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 1.8%. As the development of downstream industries accelerates, the market share of R32 refrigerant has increased. In 2022, it will account for nearly 60% of my country’s new air-conditioning market.

The global R32 refrigerant market is mainly concentrated in Japan. In 2012, Japan took the lead in realizing its commercial application. Representative companies include Japan’s Daikin Industrial Co., Ltd. (Daijin), Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (Mitsubishi), etc. Compared with Japan, my country’s R32 refrigerant industry started late, but its development momentum is rapid. Juhua Co., Ltd., Mingwei Chemical Co., Ltd., Yonghe Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Meilan Co., Ltd., Dongyue Group, and Sanmei Co., Ltd. are the major players in my country’s R32 refrigerant market. Juhua Co., Ltd. is my country’s leading R32 refrigerant company, accounting for nearly 30% of its production capacity.

          Industry analysts said that as a third-generation refrigerant, R32 refrigerant has excellent performance and a wide range of applications. In recent years, with the accelerated development of the air-conditioning industry, my country’s R32 refrigerant market demand has continued to grow. However, the development of my country’s R32 refrigerant industry will still face challenges in the future. With the gradual implementation of national environmental protection policies, the production and use of my country’s third-generation refrigerants will be restricted, and R32 refrigerant production capacity will decline.