Briefing Paper: Availability of alternatives to HFCs in commercial refrigeration in the EU

Input to the Consultation Forum on 1 December 2016

Context & Methodology

Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 (F-gas Regulation) in its Annex III introduced the following placing on the market prohibition, to take effect 1 January 2022, on the use of F-gases in some centralised large-scale commercial refrigeration systems: Ahead of this requirement taking effect, the European Commission is required by Article 21(3) of the F-gas Regulation to provide an assessment, no later than 1 July 2017, of the availability of cost-effective, technically feasible, energy-efficient and reliable alternatives in this sector. Öko-Recherche and Prof. Kauffeld have been tasked by the European Commission to carry out technical work as input to the Commission`s report. The preliminary findings summarized in this document are based on extensive consultations of the commercial refrigeration industry in Europe with a strong focus on Southern European manufacturers, service companies and operators. The project team reached out to at least 143 organisations in 19 European countries via a questionnaire, included member state authorities and major associations in the discussion and engaged in numerous expert interviews. 39 responses to the questionnaire were received. They represent a mix of respondents that spans geographically across all of Europe with very good participation from Southern Europe (18 replies from Spain and Italy), and includes manufacturers (33% of respondents; multiple choices possible), installation, servicing and repair companies (24%), end-users/operators (20%) and refrigeration consultants (7%).