Industry backs cap and phase-down of HFCs
A cap and phase-down of F-gases is the most cost-effective way to reduce emissions from heating and cooling, according to the European Partnership for Energy & the Environment (EPEE). The organisation, which represents the heating and cooling industry in Europe, estimates that a phase-down of F-gases in the EU will reduce the direct impact of refrigerants by up to 65% in 2030.
Andrea Voigt, director general of EPEE, says, ‘The heating and cooling industry is ready to face the challenge of the low-carbon roadmap. 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 tonnes 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 fulfil 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 available and, hence, stimulating the containment and recovery of these gases. The mechanism will also provide both regulatory certainty to achieve the required emissions savings and flexibility for a complex sector.
