lowGWP

LowGWP refers to substances, formulations, or products designed to have a low global warming potential relative to carbon dioxide over a specified time horizon, typically GWP100. GWP is a metric used to compare the climate impact of greenhouse gases based on how much heat they trap in the atmosphere over 100 years, with CO2 assigned a reference value of 1.

The concept is widely applied in sectors such as refrigeration, air conditioning, insulation foams, solvents, and aerosols. Substitutes marketed as low-GWP aim to reduce the potential for long-term warming compared with traditional HFCs and other high-GWP compounds. Examples include natural refrigerants such as carbon dioxide (R-744, GWP 1) and ammonia (R-717, GWP 0), and synthetic options like hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) such as HFO-1234yf and HFO-1234ze, which have GWP values in the single digits. Some hydrocarbons (e.g., propane R-290, isobutane R-600a) have negligible GWP but raise flammability and safety considerations.

Regulatory and market drivers have accelerated the shift to low-GWP alternatives. International measures such as the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, along with regional regulations (for example, the EU F-Gas Regulation), encourage retirements of high-GWP substances and the adoption of lower-GWP solutions.

Challenges accompany low-GWP transitions, including safety (flammability and toxicity), energy efficiency impacts, material compatibility, supply, and cost. Additionally, GWP is a simplification of climate impact and does not capture all factors in lifecycle assessments; some analyses use alternative or complementary metrics to address these limitations.