'ASERCOM is the technical authority of the refrigeration and air conditioning component manufacturers,' said ASERCOM president Marco Masini. 'We have analysed thousands of data sets and many findings around technical feasibility and technological advancement in the HVAC&R industry. Now we are counting on the EU Parliament to use this science-based foundation to make decisions that effectively advance the decarbonisation of Europe.

'In particular, the push for heat pump installations is a challenge - a phase down that is too fast means that there are not enough HFCs available for new heat pump installations, which, depending on location and national safety requirements, need both fluorinated and non-fluorinated refrigerants. It is not helpful to give the EU Commission the task of assessing the demand for heat pumps on an annual basis and introducing new quotas if necessary. Component manufacturers in particular need a stable and reliable legal framework for medium and long-term planning.”

'Heat pump manufacturers cannot start qualifying new units without compressors - and compressor manufacturers need a time frame of three to five years before they're able to market the compressor series that are needed.' Mr Masini continued. 'The heat pump manufacturer conducts at least one laboratory test plus one field test - that is, a full winter season for each model. This means that another three to five years will pass before a complete heat pump product line with natural refrigerants can be available.”

ASERCOM supports the proposal of the EU Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) in principle. Together with its partners, the association has agreed on essential clarifications in the amendments for the plenary session on 29 March:

Amendments to Annex IV - Placing on the market prohibitions referred to in Article 11(1)

• (12)(a) self-contained equipment for stationary refrigeration with a rated capacity up to 6 kW that contains fluorinated greenhouse gases with GWP of 150 or more. Date of prohibition: 1 January 2025
• (12)(b) Other self-contained equipment for stationary refrigeration except process chillers that contains fluorinated greenhouse gases with GWP of 150 or more. Date of prohibition: 1 January 2028
• (14)(b) Stationary refrigeration equipment other than equipment covered in provisions 12 and 15, except process chillers, that contains, or whose functioning relies upon, fluorinated greenhouse gases with GWP of 150 or more. Date of prohibition: 1 January 2028
• (15)(b) Multipack centralised refrigeration systems with a rated capacity of 40 kW or more that contain, or whose functioning relies upon, fluorinated greenhouse gases, with GWP of 150 or more, except chillers.
• Date of prohibition: 1 January 2025
• (15)(c) Multipack centralised refrigeration systems that contain or whose functioning relies upon, fluorinated greenhouse gases with GWP of 150 or more except chillers. Date of prohibition: 1 January 2028.