The F-Gas Regulation and its requirements for operators
From 2024, the maximum quantity and the corresponding quota for placing F-gases on the market will be reduced to 31 % in accordance with Article 15(1) of the previous Regulation. This will lead to a further significant shortage of F-gases.
The amended version of the F-Gas Regulation (German only) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on February 20, 2024 (Regulation (EU) 2024/573 of the European Parliament and of the Council of February 7, 2024). The amended F-Gas Regulation enters into force on the 20th day after its promulgation, i.e. on March 11, 2024. This regulation is binding in all its parts and applies directly in every Member State. Its key points include an accelerated phase-down of F-gases to zero in 2050 and a ban on the placing on the market of stationary refrigeration systems with F-gases with a GWP above 150 from 2030. Special regulations apply to chillers (liquid chillers), air conditioning systems and heat pumps (including split systems).
This basically replaces the F-Gas Regulation (EU) No. 517/2014.
Among other things, this regulation:
- Establishes rules for the containment, use, recovery and destruction of fluorinated greenhouse gases and related ancillary measures
- Imposes restrictions and prohibitions on the marketing of specific products and equipment that contain, or whose functioning relies upon, fluorinated greenhouse gases
- Imposes usage restrictions for certain fluorinated greenhouse gases, e.g. during maintenance and service
- Establishes quantitative limits for the marketing of hydrofluorocarbons (“phase down”). Reduction to 24.3 % from 2025, 12.3 % from 2027 (compared to the reference value from 2015 in tons of CO2 equivalents).
The new regulation establishes a raft of restrictions and bans for designers, manufacturers, importers and operators of commercial and industrial air-conditioning, refrigeration and heat pump equipment that uses refrigerants. Some of the provisions in the regulation were implemented several years ago, while other provisions will be phased in over the next few years.
This article provides an overview of the most important provisions of the new regulation. It is designed to help you comply promptly and effectively with the F-Gas Regulation provisions that apply to you.
What is the significance of the F-Gas Regulation?
The F-Gas Regulation (EU) 517/2014 came into force on January 1, 2015 and is stricter than the previous F-Gas Regulation of 2006. It applies in all European Union member states and is part of the European roadmap to a low-carbon economy. Its central goal is to significantly reduce fluorinated greenhouse gases in order to protect the climate and environment.
Key content of the Regulation
The revised regulation essentially aims to reduce emissions of available virgin F-gases and/or their global warming potential (GWP) in the EU by 70 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalents to 35 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalents by 2030.
Three main regulatory approaches will be followed to reduce F-gas emissions:
- 1. Introducing a phase-down of the quantities of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) available in the market.
- 2. Phased-in bans on the use and marketing of F-gases.
- 3. Retaining or supplementing safety and environmental regulations on the installation of refrigeration and heat pump equipment and on leak checks, certification, disposal and labeling.
What gases are covered by the F-Gas Regulation?
The F-Gas Regulation generally covers the following classes of fluorinated greenhouse gases: HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons), PFCs (perfluorocarbons) and SF6 (sulfur hexafluoride) . However, the new regulation’s measures do not apply to all F-gases. The all-important phase-down, for instance, applies to HFCs but not to PFCs and SF6, which are covered by other provisions in the regulation.
Synthetic refrigerants covered by the regulation and used in refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pump equipment and systems include the following important refrigerants:
- R-134a (GWP 1,430)
- R-407c (GWP 1,744)
- R-410a (GWP 2,088)
- R-404a (GWP 3,922)
- R-507 (GWP 3,990)