Refrigeration Regulation Changes
Date:
Grants available for businesses facing refrigeration regulation changes in 2020, to support increases in energy efficiency
If you have a requirement to change refrigerants due to the F Gas regulation phase out then you may be able to receive a grant to reduce the cost implications of changing to more energy efficient alternatives.
Many refrigeration, fire protection and air conditioning and heat pump systems contain hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). HFCs are a type of fluorinated greenhouse gas (F gas).
From 2020 you won’t be able to use some ‘virgin’ (unused) F gases to refill some existing refrigeration systems. Not all types of refrigeration system will be affected.
Refrigeration systems affected, this will mainly affect the use of HFC 404A in:
- industrial refrigeration systems
- large commercial refrigeration systems
- large transport refrigeration systems
Options when the ban applies. If you need to add refrigerant to systems affected by the ban after 2020 you’ll need to do one of the following:
- use an F gas with a global warming potential of more than 2,500 that has been reclaimed (up to 2030 only)
- use an F gas with a global warming potential of more than 2,500 that has been recycled either from your own equipment, or by the company servicing your equipment
- remove all of the F gas from the system and replace it with an F gas that has a global warming potential lower than 2,500
- replace the refrigeration system with new equipment that uses a refrigerant with a lower global warming potential
Less of your equipment will be affected by the ban if you buy equipment that uses refrigerants with low global warming potentials.
There are also now reports of reducing availability for widely used refrigerants, as high global warming (GWP) refrigerants are now subject to cap and phase out.
If you think you may be subject to F Gas regulation and requirements to make refrigerant changes then contact us to learn how we might be able to provide grant support for any refrigerant updates and or equipment retrofits.
For further information on the refrigerant changes, see the EU website: https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/f-gas_en
For more information about how an energy efficiency grant could help your business, click here to find out more or call the team on 01473 350370.
