ShareConsequences of the EU F-Gas Regulation: uncertainty on the future availability of R404A
Anyone installing equipment with R404A now will probably have to retrofit to a lower GWP refrigerant in the next few years.
In its recent “Guidance on the future use of R404A and the new F Gas Regulations”, ACRIB repeats warnings on the likely future availability of R404A. The new EU F-Gas Regulation which came into force on 1 January 2015, introduces a phase-down in the amount of HFCs placed on the market.
This phase down has been derived from a baseline of HFCs placed on the market in 2009-2012 in CO2 equivalent tonnes calculated from the GWP of the various refrigerants. In 2016 and 2018 the quantities allowed to be placed on the market will be reduced by 7% and 37% from the baseline. R404A has a GWP of 3922 and is therefore – with R507, R422A, R422D, R434A and R428A – in the group of refrigerants with a GWP>2500 which will be most affected by the new regulation.
It is not known precisely what effect the reductions in quota will have on the supply of R404A in 2016, 2017 and 2018, except that the overall use of high-GWP refrigerants such as R404A will need to reduce significantly during this period and cannot continue at current levels.
Moreover, HFCs with a GWP over 2500 will be banned in certain new equipment by 2020 and will no longer allowed to be used to service refrigeration equipment from 2020 (see IIR Newsletter No. 58 and No. 59).
Consequently, anyone installing equipment with R404A now will probably have to retrofit to a lower GWP refrigerant in the next few years. This is likely to be before the end of the natural working life of the system. ACRIB invites people to carefully consider whether it makes economic sense to use R404A in new equipment and strongly consider equipment that uses lower GWP alternatives.
http://goo.gl/kWOxXc
This phase down has been derived from a baseline of HFCs placed on the market in 2009-2012 in CO2 equivalent tonnes calculated from the GWP of the various refrigerants. In 2016 and 2018 the quantities allowed to be placed on the market will be reduced by 7% and 37% from the baseline. R404A has a GWP of 3922 and is therefore – with R507, R422A, R422D, R434A and R428A – in the group of refrigerants with a GWP>2500 which will be most affected by the new regulation.
It is not known precisely what effect the reductions in quota will have on the supply of R404A in 2016, 2017 and 2018, except that the overall use of high-GWP refrigerants such as R404A will need to reduce significantly during this period and cannot continue at current levels.
Moreover, HFCs with a GWP over 2500 will be banned in certain new equipment by 2020 and will no longer allowed to be used to service refrigeration equipment from 2020 (see IIR Newsletter No. 58 and No. 59).
Consequently, anyone installing equipment with R404A now will probably have to retrofit to a lower GWP refrigerant in the next few years. This is likely to be before the end of the natural working life of the system. ACRIB invites people to carefully consider whether it makes economic sense to use R404A in new equipment and strongly consider equipment that uses lower GWP alternatives.
http://goo.gl/kWOxXc