From the July 2001 Idaho Observer:

Idaho company has answer to energy crisis

OZ Technology has endured incessant non-scientific persecution from Clinton's EPA and marketplace pressures from the likes of business giants such as Dupont and Allied Chemical. Those powerful forces could not kill this tough north Idaho company because of one little factor: Its hydrocarbon blend refrigerants are the best refrigerants in the world. And now, in the face of a national energy crisis, OZ Technology could save the nation from the economic chaos that could result from rolling power blackouts and brownouts -- if only people would be given access to the organic, efficient and environmentally friendly refrigerants it produced.

by Don Harkins

RATHDRUM -- Hydrocarbon blend refrigerants such as those produced by OZ Technology accomplish the same degree of cooling as Freon (a CFC) and HFC-134a with a 22 percent to 40 percent savings on the electric bill. “Now that we are facing blackouts and brownouts and the price of power is beginning to skyrocket, it is time for the public and power companies to take a closer look at energy efficient, organic and environmentally friendly hydrocarbon blend refrigerants,” said OZ Technology President Gary Lindgren.

The Northwest Power Planning Council (NWPPC) stated in the summary of its March 26, 2001 report Northwest Electricity Markets in 2001: Status and Proposed Actions that, “Western electricity markets are headed for a difficult summer and possibly a difficult winter of 2001 -- 02 as well. Current poor water conditions translate into continued tight electricity supplies for the rest of 2001. The accompanying high electricity prices could combine with a general slowdown in economic activity to create difficulties for many of the region's businesses and citizens.”

According to NWPPC, commerical and residential air conditioning (AC) are the primary causes of increased summertime demand on limited electricity resources. OZ Technology claims that if home and business owners would replace the CFC or HFC refrigerants in their AC systems, the inevitable social and economic repercussions from predicted power supply shortfalls could be substantially softened -- if not avoided altogether.

Production of CFCs was banned in the U.S. in 1996 for their role in stratospheric ozone depletion; HFCs are recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the scientific community as “greenhouse gases.”

“We have perfected 'earth friendly' blends that will work in almost all of the commonly used commercial and residential refrigeration and air conditioning units,” said Lindgren.

The EPA, through provisions in the Clean Air Act, is charged with enforcing regulations regarding the use of refrigerants. According to the EPA, it is legal to directly replace HFCs with the appropriate hydrocarbon blend refrigerant. However, in systems that are still using CFC refrigerants, one must first remove the CFCs and replace them with an HFC refrigerant before being able to legally use a hydrocarbon blend.

Many utility companies throughout the west are encouraging power consumers to conserve electricity this summer by offering power buy-backs and cash incentives to purchase energy saving appliances. Consumers could save a lot of money while reducing their consumption of electricity by taking advantage of conservation incentive programs and replacing CFC and HFC refrigerants with the more efficient hydrocarbon blend refrigerants.

“We have been marketing hydrocarbon blend refrigerants all over the world for nearly a decade,” commented Lindgren who believes that simply replacing synthetic refrigerants with organic hydrocarbon refrigerants will go a long way toward solving power supply concerns here at home.

To be provided with peer-reviewed scientific studies and references that substantiate the claims made above, or information on how to order and use its line of hydrocarbon blend refrigerants, please contact OZ Technology at: (208) 687-7000.

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Don Harkins is the editor of The Idaho Observer and has been following the international development of the hydrocarbon refrigerant marketplace for six years. After much investigation, Harkins has determined that safe, efficient, organic, readily available and environmentally sound hydrocarbon blends are an intelligent answer to the worldwide refrigeration dilemma, rising energy bills and predicted power shortages. Harkins can be contacted by calling: (208) 255-2307 or via email at: vaclib@startmail.com