Why Switch to Opteon™ refrigerants?

The refrigerant industry continues to seek solutions with minimal environmental impact and maximum performance. Opteon™ refrigerants offer the optimal balance of both environmental sustainability and performance, along with safety and cost to help meet the needs and business goals of this changing industry.

F-Gas regulation No.(EU) 517/2014

The principles of the F-Gas regulation which has been implemented from January 1st, 2015 are based on cap and phase-down for the placing on the market of HFCs.

The regulation introduces a phase-down mechanism involving a gradually declining cap on the total placement of HFCs (in tonnes of CO2 equivalent) on the market in the EU.

The base is the annual average of the total quantity placed on the market into the EU from 2009 to 2012.


* reference A.Kaschl DG Climate Action presentation to EPEE

In addition to controls on the total quantity of CO2 equivalents, a number of provisions on servicing have been introduced.

The use of fluorinated greenhouse gases with a GWP> 2500 to service or maintain refrigeration equipment with a charge size of 40 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (10.2kg R-404A) or more, shall be prohibited from 1 January 2020. This provision shall not apply to military equipment or equipment intended for applications designed to cool products to temperatures below -50°C.

There are also restrictions/bans on use in new equipment with bans on the placing on the market of the following:

  • Refrigerators and freezers for commercial use (hermetically sealed) containing HFCs with a GWP of 2500 or more from 1 January 2020, and containing HFCs with a GWP of 150 or more from 1 January 2022.
     
  • Stationary refrigeration equipment that contains or relies upon for its functioning HFCs with a GWP of 2500 or more from 1 January 2020.
     
  • Centralised refrigeration systems for commercial use with a capacity of 40kW or more that contain or rely upon their functioning, fluorinated gases with a GWP of 150 or more, from 1 January 2022, except in the primary circuit of a cascade system where a GWP of less than 1500 may be used.