We have used an analogy to show how a compressor valve, weighing not much more than a butterfly, can have an effect far greater than its small size and weight.
The idea that a small change in conditions could create a very different outcome was first used by American mathematician and meteorologist Edward Lorenz in the early 60s. The earliest version of his theory used the example of a single flap of a seagull’s wing which could change global weather conditions forever.
By the 70s, Lorenz had begun using the more poetic “butterfly wing” and The Butterfly Effect caught on, capturing people’s imagination.
Cooling, generally, is energy-intensive and the more efficient the cooling system is, the less energy that is used. Compressor valves made from our steel and used in refrigerators and air-conditioning units can significantly reduce energy usage and consequently CO2 emissions. As the example in the film shows: “If all the households in China used white goods with compressor valves made out of our steel it could reduce CO2 emissions by 225 million tonnes annually.”
A significant outcome from a very small change.