HVAC

Speaking at the 20th European RACHP Conference in Milan on June 9, EPEE chief Russell Patten acknowledged that the issue of a ban on hydrofluorocarbons is no longer relevant. “The issue is the pace of transition and the availability of alternatives.”

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), a key EU advisory body, has released its opinion on the proposed EU F-gas Regulation, calling for a ban on all refrigerants with a GWP above five in new heat pumps, room air conditioners, chillers and refrigeration applications as of 2030.

Didier Coulomb, director-general of the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR), argued at COP 22 that the refrigeration and air-conditioning sector can play a greater role in addressing climate change.

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are the fastest growing source of greenhouse gases globally, but also one of the areas where climate-friendly, energy-efficient alternatives, such as natural refrigerants, are readily available for a growing number of applications. In 2014, the EU took regulatory action to limit the use of these gases through a combination of measures. The EU F-Gas Regulation, which entered into force in 2015, is rapidly changing the face of European industry and influencing markets beyond Europe’s borders.

The EU’s ‘Winter Package’ of climate legislation, tabled yesterday, proposes to increase energy efficiency by 30% by 2030 in an effort to cut emissions and meet Europe’s obligations laid out in the Paris Agreement.

This Information Sheet is aimed at individuals and organisations that carry out F-Gas handling operations related to stationary refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pumps (RACHP) and refrigerated trucks and trailers (RTT). For mobile air-conditioning applications the requirements are different.

A hospital in Aydin, Turkey, is to serve as a test case to demonstrate that it is possible to reduce energy consumption by 50% and decrease greenhouse gas emissions with retrofitting solutions.