Global initiates to reduce greenhouse gas emissions influence the international industrial refrigeration industry. This month, Dr. Karin Jahn of eurammon shares some facts and figures about the EU’s F-gas regulation.

Tthe European Union’s climate and energy strategy — with its so-called “20-20-20 targets” — has resulted in a legislative package that aims, among others, to bring about a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2020. This is an ambitious undertaking that encompasses various specific measures. One of these refers to the use of partly fluorinated hydrocarbons, or so-called F-gases. To minimize their impact on global warming, in April 2014 the EU Council adopted Regulation No. 517/2014 on fluorinated greenhouse gases as the long-awaited revision of the F-gas regulation.

New regulations such as the ban on refrigerants that have a particularly strong impact on the climate should help the EU to achieve its climate targets. Europe is thus setting new global standards for reducing CO2 emissions. The revised F-gas regulation will be applied from January 1, 2015, onwards. But what does it mean in specific terms for manufacturers, system planners and operators?  

The targets of the revised F-gas regulation follow a format similar to previous efforts to reduce other greenhouse gases such as CFCs. The regulation will be implemented with the following package of measures:

• Phase-down. The F-gases available on the market will be gradually reduced. Working on this basis, the total quantity available in the EU will be reduced to 21 percent of the available quantity in January 2015 in six stages through to 2030.

• Restrictions on Use. F-gases that are particularly harmful to the climate will be gradually prohibited completely.

• Quota System. F-gas quotas will be allocated to the manufacturers and importers in order to control the actual consumption of F-gases. The quotas can be freely traded on the market in the same way as emission rights. The companies are obliged to submit reports on their actual F-gas consumption.

• Leak Tests. To avoid leakages, stricter regulations will apply in future to leak tests on refrigeration and air-conditioning systems.

• Extended Operator Obligations. System operators face considerably more obligations. They bear full responsibility for ensuring that installation, maintenance, servicing, repairs or decommissioning are performed only by certified personnel or certified companies.

More information about the F-gases regulations can be found on eurammon’s website at http://bit.ly/f-gasesregs.

Global initiates to reduce greenhouse gas emissions influence the international industrial refrigeration industry. This month, Dr. Karin Jahn of eurammon shares some facts and figures about the EU’s F-gas regulation.

Tthe European Union’s climate and energy strategy — with its so-called “20-20-20 targets” — has resulted in a legislative package that aims, among others, to bring about a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2020. This is an ambitious undertaking that encompasses various specific measures. One of these refers to the use of partly fluorinated hydrocarbons, or so-called F-gases. To minimize their impact on global warming, in April 2014 the EU Council adopted Regulation No. 517/2014 on fluorinated greenhouse gases as the long-awaited revision of the F-gas regulation.

New regulations such as the ban on refrigerants that have a particularly strong impact on the climate should help the EU to achieve its climate targets. Europe is thus setting new global standards for reducing CO2 emissions. The revised F-gas regulation will be applied from January 1, 2015, onwards. But what does it mean in specific terms for manufacturers, system planners and operators?  

The targets of the revised F-gas regulation follow a format similar to previous efforts to reduce other greenhouse gases such as CFCs. The regulation will be implemented with the following package of measures:

• Phase-down. The F-gases available on the market will be gradually reduced. Working on this basis, the total quantity available in the EU will be reduced to 21 percent of the available quantity in January 2015 in six stages through to 2030.

• Restrictions on Use. F-gases that are particularly harmful to the climate will be gradually prohibited completely.

• Quota System. F-gas quotas will be allocated to the manufacturers and importers in order to control the actual consumption of F-gases. The quotas can be freely traded on the market in the same way as emission rights. The companies are obliged to submit reports on their actual F-gas consumption.

• Leak Tests. To avoid leakages, stricter regulations will apply in future to leak tests on refrigeration and air-conditioning systems.

• Extended Operator Obligations. System operators face considerably more obligations. They bear full responsibility for ensuring that installation, maintenance, servicing, repairs or decommissioning are performed only by certified personnel or certified companies.

More information about the F-gases regulations can be found on eurammon’s website here.