Over the years, Ecuador has worked successfully towards meeting its obligations to the Montreal Protocol and its Amendments. One of the country’s most inspiring success stories comes from Induglob, a locally owned manufacturing enterprise that revolutionized its refrigeration manufacturing processes to align with the Protocol’s goals, with the assistance of funding from the Multilateral Fund.
A legacy of environmental leadership
Ecuador’s leadership in meeting international environmental commitments was mirrored by Induglob. In 1998, the company transitioned from using high ozone-depleting CFC-12 to HFC-134a with support from the Multilateral Fund. But the journey didn’t stop there. In 2018, just two years after the adoption of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, Induglob independently converted one of its manufacturing lines that was producing domestic refrigeration equipment to use R-600a—a refrigerant with zero ozone-depleting potential and very low global warming potential. This bold move, utilizing the company’s own funding, reduced HFC-134a consumption by 16.33 metric tonnes, equivalent to 23,352 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.
A pioneering project with global impact
Building on the momentum from this successful project, Ecuador prepared with its own resources a project proposal in 2022 to convert Induglob’s second manufacturing line producing domestic and commercial refrigerators to R-600a and R-290. This project was the first of its kind receiving assistance from the Multilateral Fund even before the country’s Kigali HFC Implementation Plan (KIP) was approved. The Government of Ecuador also developed a ban on the import and manufacture of domestic refrigerators using HFC-134a that was set to come into force upon completion of the project. This ensured the project’s sustainability beyond the implementation period.
The results? Outstanding. The project was completed on schedule in two years and eliminated an additional 10.42 metric tonnes of HFC-134a—equivalent to 14,901 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually. Combined, the two conversions now prevent approximately 38,253 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions each year.
More than just environmental gains
The benefits of the initiative go beyond just emission reductions. The switch to newer refrigerants allowed for technical modernization of the production process along with energy efficiency improvements. It also allowed for a roughly 60% reduction in the refrigerant charge per unit, thanks to the higher thermodynamic efficiency of hydrocarbon refrigerants. Induglob also adopted safety protocols and trained its personnel to ensure safe handling of flammable refrigerants during the manufacturing process.
A model of collaboration and commitment
The success of this project was made possible through the collaboration of Induglob’s technical team, the Government of Ecuador, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) as the implementing agency. The funding model showcased a strong partnership and commitment from Induglob, which in addition to the Multilateral Fund’s funding approved for the project, invested in complementary infrastructure, safety systems and engineering work to modernize operations in both manufacturing lines, enhancing the overall efficiency, traceability and quality of the final product.
Sharing the success
Ecuador’s achievements are now being shared globally as a model for sustainable industrial transformation. For more information you can watch a video about the project: https://youtu.be/Qg2lC7q9Dng