F-GAS: cosmotec response to change

On February 20 2024, the new F-gas (EU) Regulation 2024/573 was published in the Official Journal of the
European Union, coming into effect on March 11, 2024. The new F-gas regulation limits the market introduction
and export of fluorinated gases and equipment containing such gases. Fluorinated gases (including
hydrofluorocarbons or HFCs) are greenhouse gases with a high global warming potential (GWP), used in common appliances such as refrigerators, chillers, air conditioners, and heat pumps. The new regulation calls for a gradual
reduction in HFC consumption between 2024 and 2049, with a total ban on their use starting in 2050.

Focusing specifically on cosmotec products: air conditioners and liquid chillers, the prohibitions outlined in Annex IV can be summarized as follows:

MAINTENANCE
The F-Gas EU Regulation 2024/573 does not introduce any maintenance or spare parts bans for units placed on the market before the prohibition dates defined in Annex IV.

EXEMPTION
These are provided in cases where alternatives are not available or cannot be used for technical or safety reasons, or if the use of such alternatives entails
disproportionate costs.

EXPORT BAN
From March 12, 2025, the export of fixed refrigeration and air conditioning equipment and heat pumps listed in Annex IV, containing fluorinated greenhouse gases with a GWP greater than or equal to 1000, is prohibited.

In response to these bans, cosmotec has recently launched its low-GWP solutions:

Air conditioners

cosmotec is actively committed to developing solutions with low environmental impact across all its ranges, including small-sized air conditioners equipped with scroll, rotary, or alternative compressors. Currently available with R134a refrigerant, we are working to introduce new low GWP solutions that comply with the stringent requirements of the F-Gas Regulation, with deadlines set respectively in 2027 and 2032 for GWP<150 and the adoption of natural refrigerants. Our goal is to ensure not only energy efficiency and environmental impact reduction but also compliance with the most stringent international regulations in the industrial refrigeration sector.

Chillers

In the field of liquid chillers, cosmotec also offers traditional refrigerants as well as low-GWP solutions to minimize environmental impact and comply with the limits imposed by the F-Gas regulation. The same R513a used in air conditioners is now available in chillers with screw compressors. Along with this solution, cosmotec can already offer
a fully compliant F-gas solution with the slightly flammable (A2L) refrigerant R1234ze (GWP = 1).
cosmotec climate chambers are already equipped to test A2L and A3. Medium-sized chillers with multi-scroll compressors, available as standard with R410A refrigerant, are now also available with R454B (GWP = 466), (A2L).
For small chillers with scroll/rotary compressors, currently available with R410A and R134a refrigerants, for which
the constraint is 2027 and 2032 with respectively GWP < 150 and natural refrigerants, cosmotec is working
to offer low-GWP solutions compliant with the F-Gas regulation shortly.

Conclusion

The new F-Gas regulation represents a significant challenge for the industrial air conditioning and refrigeration world. cosmotec, with its low-GWP and A2L solutions for both air conditioners and chillers, is embracing this challenge to actively participate in reducing global warming and greenhouse gas emissions.