move to low GWP refrigerants

Also an economic reason to move to low GWP refrigerants

At the end of May, the RAC Magazine organized the “F-Gas Question Time”, during which several experts from the HVAC world discussed about the necessity to move quickly towards low GWP refrigerants.

They pointed out not only environmental and legislative but also economic reasons. This is due to the “new” F-gas regulation, which strengthened previous measures (from 2006 original regulation) and introduced three main measures to be followed:

  • Limiting the total amount of the most important F-gases that can be sold in the EU from 2015 onwards and phasing them down […];
  • Banning the use of F-gases in many new types of equipment […];
  • Preventing emissions of F-gases from existing equipment […].

This reduction of HFC quota will lead higher-GWP refrigerants to become scarcer, and, as a consequence, prices to rise accordingly.

Another important aspect pointed out by Graham Wright, president of manufacturers’ body HEVAC, concerns the necessity for this passage from HFC to low GWP refrigerants to be as quick as possible, without waiting to the last minute.

Consultant Ray Gluckman, also provided four main recommendations:

  • use of lower-GWP refrigerants for new plants;
  • use of lower GWP refrigerants in existing systems where possible;
  • reduce leakage;
  • ensure good end of life recovery in place and begin to use reclaimed refrigerant.

But, most importantly, all industries should start investing in energy efficient technologies.

Here is the full article from RAC Plus website: http://www.racplus.com/news/industry-warned-refrigerants-costs-rising-ten-to-twenty-times-as-f-gas-quotas-bite/8684298.article

Related article: http://www.racplus.com/news/refrigerant-supply-shortfall-will-hit-within-three-years/8683803.article