Brussels, 4 October 2012: The European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE), representing the heating and cooling industry in Europe, estimates that a phase-down of F-Gases in the EU will reduce the direct climate impact of refrigerants by up to 65% in 2030.

“The heating and cooling industry is ready to face the challenge of the low-carbon roadmap”, says Andrea Voigt, EPEE’s Director General. “By reducing the consumption of HFCs – the most commonly used F-Gases – by 30% in 2020 and up to 65% in 2030, we will reduce direct emissions from our sector by more than 70 million tons of CO2-equivalent in 2030.”

Whilst the existing F-Gas Regulation has already started to pay off with expected emission savings of more than 40% in 2030, EPEE supports the European Commission’s assessment that additional savings are necessary to fulfill the EU’s low carbon roadmap requirements.

A cap and phase-down mechanism for F-gas refrigerants supports the existing F-Gas Regulation by limiting the quantities of HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) available and hence stimulating the containment and recovery of these gases. It is also unique in providing both regulatory certainty to achieve the required emission savings, and flexibility for a complex sector. As an example, recent studies have identified more than 40 heating and cooling applications, all requiring different technologies and covering a very wide range from refrigerated trucks to food processing, heating and cooling of buildings, refrigeration in supermarkets, etc.

Andrea Voigt explains: “There is no perfect refrigerant. Refrigerant choice is complex and often a compromise between many different factors. Two of these are non-negotiable: the safety and the energy efficiency of the installations. Safety is essential for the installers and the users of the equipment. Energy Efficiency has a major impact on running cost and our environment, as most of the emissions are due to energy consumption.”

A phase-down of HFCs has been identified by both the Commission’s own research and a more recent EPEE-funded study (by the consultancy SKM Enviros) as being the most cost-effective measure to reduce direct HFC emissions. EPEE estimates an average cost of €15 to €25 per ton of CO2–equivalent abated with significant variations depending on the application. Even if the financial impact remains substantial, a phase-down allows spreading this cost over time.

“There is no perfect refrigerant. A cap and phase-down mechanism for HFCs, combined with further strengthening the current F-Gas Regulation, will steer the heating and cooling industry along a path to eliminating HFCs where feasible, and will boost innovation for safe and energy efficient new solutions. This will allow our industry to continue to provide safe, energy efficient and affordable solutions to our customers in their everyday life - in their homes, places of work, stores, healthcare, travel and more”, Andrea Voigt concluded.

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About EPEE:

The European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE) represents the refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pump industry in Europe. Founded in the year 2000, EPEE’s membership is composed of 40 member companies and national associations across Europe realising a turnover of over 30 billion Euros and employing more than 200,000 people in Europe. As an expert association, EPEE is supporting safe, environmentally and economically viable technologies with the objective of promoting a better understanding of the sector in the EU and contributing to the development of effective European policies. For more information, please visit www.epeeglobal.org