The EU is taking action in order to reach their climate goals. One example of this is to reduce the use of certain substances with a documented high global warming potential. But there are indications that some actions have the opposite effect.
 
One example of this is the F gas regulation. It includes a reduced use of hydroflurorocarbons (HFCs), something that naturally affects the heat pump industry. The industry has reacted positively to this and has been looking for replacements. But if it takes a long time to find such a replacement the heat pump market will slow down and heating will in many cases instead be provided by fossil fuels. There is risk that green-house gas emissions will be doubled compared to an alternative with a heat pump based installation.
 
Regarding the potential substitutes for HFCs the challenges can be summed up as follows:
 
- most of the low-GWP alternatives are flammable, to a lower or higher extent;
- actors in the heat pump area, be it manufacturers, wholesalers, or installers, have a hard time to find sufficient amounts of refrigerants to secure deliveries of equipment and operation of installations;
- the use of low-GWP refrigerants requires a nearly completely new construction of the equipment;
- some necessary components, such as compressors and heat exchangers, have so far been developed for the applications of industrial cooling and air conditioning, but not for heat pumps
 
Since the F gas regulation has driven up the market price for HFCs the illegal import of refrigerants has increased. This may lead to impaired performance, with a risk of significant breakdown, personal danger for the person conducting the retrofit and for subsequent service personnel, in addition to possible fines and jail sentences. This is over and above any other possible penalties in the event of an accident.
 
This is not the first time that the heat pump industry experiences a refrigerant shift. In 1987, it was decided to phase out CFC refrigerants due to ozone depletion and HFCs came to be used instead. For the heat pump industry, the problem is not the shift as such. The problem is the short time in which the shift must be executed. Last time, it took a long time until components specifically developed for the heat pumps began to enter the market and the industry was highly affected.

In view of the above, a number of actors in the heat pump industry are reacting. As an example, the Swedish Refrigeration and Heat Pump Association has requested an exemption to give the industry access to refrigerants outside the quota system of the F gas regulation.

The text is shortened by HPC

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