On 14 May 2014, German NGO Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) hosted a dedicated expert talk in Berlin exploring next steps for food retailers in response to increased pressure to adopt more sustainable HVAC&R solutions resulting from the revision of the European F-Gas Regulation. The event attracted leading food retail chains, representatives from German ministries and environmental agencies and system and component suppliers.

German environmental group Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) organized a three-hour event “F-Gas Revision and its Impact on the Food Retail Sector” at its premises in Berlin on 14 May 2014.The event was organised to stimulate discussion about concrete steps to be taken by end user and supplying sectors to comply with upcoming restrictions of the use of fluorinated gases with high global warming potential (GWP) used in refrigeration in Europe. A special focus was put on the viability of natural refrigerants such as carbon dioxide (CO₂) and hydrocarbons (HCs),which feature very low GWP and are non-fluorinated. Around 30 German and Austrian stakeholders in the food retail sector active in environmentally friendly and sustainable refrigeration solutions gathered for the event.

UBA outlines new obligations of F-Gas Regulation revision

Katja Beckenof the Umwelt Bundesamt (UBA) presented on the F-Gas Revision and its new requirements. She noted the objectives of the EU F-Gas Revision are to implement the EU climate goals as well as the Kyoto Protocol, to incentivise the use of f-gas alternatives and to reduce emissions. Becken discussed in detail the different restrictions and elements of the phase-down of f-gases according the revised regulation. 

In particular new obligations are being placed on operators. In addition to requiring general emission reductions, operators will experience new repair obligations and leak checks, including having to invest in leak detection systems. Businesses will also have to keep accurate records, according to Article 6 of the regulation.Furthermore, the revised regulation sets forth recovery obligations regarding f-gases. 

The regulation also puts forth requirements that installation, maintenance,servicing, repair and decommissioning of systems utilising fluorinated greenhouse gases are carried about by companies with specific certifications. If a company does not have these certifications, they must either employ certified personnel or hire a certified company. 

European Food Retail study by shecco

Nina Masson, head of Business Development at shecco was invited to present results from the company’s latest European study on sustainability initiatives among Western and Northern European food retailers. Masson noted that respondents of the study’s survey confirmed that the phase-down of HFCs and bans on the use of fluorinated gases in centralised systems have influenced many of their strategies to opt for natural gases. In Europe there is a widearray of technology options for both CO₂ and hydrocarbon-based refrigeration systems especially, and each year these technologies continue to develop,whilst economies of scale are growing. 

Masson stated that a stronger uptake of such technologies may soon be expected from Southernand Eastern Europe, due not only to HFC use restrictions, but also to the ever strengthening business case for natural refrigerants.

According to the survey, CO₂ use is particularly strong in centralised systems. Furthermore, respondents indicated that for a number of areas, such as reliability and safety, efficiency and performance, and return on investment, among others, natural refrigerants were on par with or exceeded F-gas solutions. 

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