Why should I care about F-Gases? Why should I care about F-Gases?

What’s at stake?

Refrigerants enable cooling and heating using thermo- future – we will always need heating and cooling for our dynamics – as opposed to, say, combustion by burning comfort and for our health – and by using thermodyna- fuel. You might not be aware of them, but refrigerants mics we have found the most resource-efficient way of are an essential ingredient of modern-day life – whether doing it. A key point with refrigerants is that they have to shopping for fresh food, working in an air conditioned be used responsibly by professionals as they are power- office or using a heat pump in your home. Fluorinated ful greenhouse gases and rules for their use are neces- gases (also known as f-gases) are the most commonly sary. The EU is now looking to set down rules for f-gases used in these applications. They are essential for our for 2030 and beyond.

EPEE supports new rules for refrigerants and amending the 2006 law on fluorinated gases.

Millions of people in Europe work in the refrigerant in- Furthermore, their use in small and large air conditio- dustry, from refrigerant production, to manufacturing ning, supermarket refrigeration and in heat pumps is heating and cooling products using refrigerants, and on monitored systematically. These rules are now being to their installation and maintenance. 40% of the total up-dated by the EU. energy produced is used for heating and cooling and If we get the f-gas rules right, f-gases will be used res- Europe will not reach any of its energy efficiency and ponsibly in safe and affordable products and systems climate change goals unless heating and cooling is done and eventually recycled to minimise their impact on the much more efficiently than it is today. So the stakes are climate. We estimate that this could be done at a cost

high when we look at establishing long-term European of €15 to €25 per tonne of CO2 saved. If we get the rules for refrigerants. f-gases rules wrong costs for society could escalate to

European rules on f-gases were agreed in 2006 and over €100 per tonne of CO2 saved, causing economic they are already reaping dividends following strong ef- harm and damaging emerging markets, like the one of forts by governments, industry and end-users to imple- heat pumps. Such costs will impact across society: ment them. The rules included requirements that only from home owners, local authorities, to installation properly qualified personnel handle f-gases. companies and retailers and the consumer.

Your fridgeDid is a typeyou of heatknow? pump – heat is moved from inside to outside the cabinet using thermodynamics. What are refrigerants?

Gases contained in fridges, supermarket refrigeration • Hydro Fluorocarbons (HFCs) the most commonly systems, air conditioning, heat pumps, fresh and frozen used in all types of situations, because they are safe food delivery trucks and vans, to name just a few – in and energy efficient, although they contribute to global fact nearly everywhere you need to control tempera- warming if they escape into the atmosphere. From the ture and humidity. 1990’s, they replaced the ozone layer damaging CFCs and HCFCs which have been banned under EU and There are different types and families of refrigerants: international law (emanating from the Montreal Protocol). HFCs do not impact the ozone layer. • Ammonia which you may find in a large out of town distribution centre or warehouse, but are unlikely to • Hydro Fluoro Olefins (HFOs) the next generation find in the home setting due to its high toxicity. of refrigerants that have ultra-low global warming potential (GWP). Soon, you will find them in your car • Hydrocarbons (HCs), like isobutane, which are air conditioner. suitable for your fridge at home, as they are present in only small quantities, or “charges”, but you are very All these refrigerants have different characteristics unlikely to find them in your air-conditioning due to (toxicity, flammability, energy efficiency and global much larger “charge” sizes that could pose a signifi- warming potential) that have to be taken into account cant safety risk. when they are used. Unfortunately, there is no single refrigerant solution for all applications - choices have

• Carbon Dioxide (CO2) which can be a suitable refri- to be made – but they ALL need to be used responsibly gerant for commercial refrigeration, i.e. a supermarket and handled by professionally-trained technicians. and its use is growing, not least because it performs well when used in integrated systems providing refrige- ration, air conditioning and hot water simultaneously.

Did you know? CO2 reductions from using heat pumps instead of burning fossil fuels could exceed nearly twice the total GHG emissions of Austria in 2030. Did youF -gasesknow? can be recycled and re-used.

The 2030 challenge

REDUCING ENERGY USE IS A FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGE

With growing energy demand and security concerns, the energy consumption is a key challenge for Europe. Heating and cooling is a major part of this: to heat and cool buildings represents about 40% of energy consumption in Europe. In your local supermarket, probably 75% of its energy use is taken up by heating, cooling and refrigeration. So f-gas rules and their impact are a concern for everyone. EPEE members believe that a win-win solution can be found that encourages innovation; delivers savings in energy and refrigerant use; and reduces greenhouse gas emissions – both direct and indirect.

What can the heating and cooling industr y do to resolve these challenges?

✔ Latest studies demonstrate that the heating, cooling and refrigeration industry can reduce the consumption of f-gas refrigerants by 60-65% by 2030

✔ Choosing the best policy option is critical: EPEE supports a well-designed legislation with sensible deadlines and processes that enable effective measures. EPEE does not support bans and ill-considered deadlines.

✔ Therefore we support updating the 2006 rules to for example include a phase down mechanism.

Want to know more about the challenges involved with the revision of the F-gas rules? Read on here: www.epeeglobal.org

With the right legal framework, consumption of f-gas refrigerants can be reduced by as much as 60-65% in 2030.