Honeywell has started full-scale commercial production of a low-global-warming-potential (GWP) material used as an aerosol propellant, insulating agent and refrigerant.

The material, known by the industry designation HFO-1234ze and marketed by Honeywell under its Solstice line of low-global-warming materials, is being produced at the Honeywell Fluorine Products facility in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The company projects that use of its low GWP Solstice materials to replace HFCs will eliminate more than 350 million metric tons in CO2 equivalents by 2025.

HFO-1234ze is a next-generation material that is non-ozone-depleting, non-flammable per ASTM E681 and ISO 10156:2010 testing, and has a low-global-warming-potential of less than 1. It is also not a volatile organic compound (VOC), as determined by the EPA and the California Air Resource Board. HFO-1234ze is considered a preferred replacement for both HFC-134a, which has GWP of 1,300, and HFC-152a, which is flammable and has a GWP of 138, in aerosol applications and thermal insulating foams, including extruded polystyrene board and polyurethane foams. It is also being considered to replace HFC-134a for large stationary and commercial refrigeration applications and, compared to other low GWP refrigerant options, Honeywell’s HFO-1234ze provides energy efficiency benefits.

Honeywell’s Solstice line of HFOs include Solstice yf for automobile air conditioning, Solstice Propellant for aerosol applications, Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent and Gas Blowing Agent for foam applications, and Solstice Performance Fluid for use as an industrial solvent. Each of these products has been approved under the EPA’s Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program.