Prioritise efficiency in decarbonising efforts

January 16, 2023

Component manufacturers have called on European ministers to prioritise equipment efficiency over the atmospheric impact of refrigerants during the current F-gas revision discussions.

ASERCOM, the Association of European Refrigeration Component Manufacturers, has echoed previous statements by industry bodies questioning the feasibility of the current revision proposals.

The association insists that given the large contribution the HVACR industry can make to decarbonisation, it is important to keep an eye on the actual technology and industrial availability to accelerate the pace of change in emission reductions.

“What really matters for the environment is the actual feasibility of a proposal,” said ASERCOM president Marco Masini. “If there are false or misleading targets, in terms of timing and/or technologies, we fail as an industrial and political fabric to make our powerful contribution to decarbonising our economies.

“The new electrified economy we are aiming for, which can take advantage of zero-carbon power generation, will be more effective if ErP’s – which consume the most energy during their on-site life cycle – are available for their manufacture. Priorities at this stage should be on efficiency first and only then on the impact of refrigerants on the atmosphere, not the other way around.”

Masini accepts that the EU is working hard on both sides, creating some challenges that go beyond the target. “But perhaps they are losing sight of the main objective of product and technology availability to get to the point,” he added.