Natural refrigerants for compact cooling and temperature control units
New F-Gas Regulation:
What It Means for Cooling and Temperature Control Systems
Context, timeline and technical implications
The new European F-Gas Regulation significantly tightens the regulatory framework for the use of fluorinated refrigerants. Its objective is to reduce emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases and to accelerate the transition towards more climate-friendly alternatives.
For machine builders, OEMs and operators of cooling, temperature control and drying systems, this results in concrete technical, economic and strategic challenges that should already be addressed today.
What are F-gases and why are they regulated?
F-gases are synthetic refrigerants with a high Global Warming Potential (GWP), a measure of a gas’s greenhouse effect relative to CO₂ over a defined time horizon.
Many refrigerants still widely used today have GWP values in the hundreds or even thousands. As a result, they are increasingly subject to regulatory restrictions. In parallel, discussions around PFAS regulation further underline the need for long-term, robust technology decisions.
Overview: Global F-Gas regulations
Regulation of fluorinated refrigerants is a global issue. Binding rules already exist in the EU, the United States, Canada and other regions.
For globally active OEMs, this means:
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increasing regulatory complexity
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growing pressure on global product platforms
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higher relevance of future-proof refrigerant strategies
EU F-Gas Regulation: What is changing?
The EU regulation differentiates between product types, nominal cooling capacity, GWP value and lifecycle phases such as production, import, sales, servicing and export.
Key milestones include:
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from 2025: restrictions for certain applications with GWP ≥ 150
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from 2027: further tightening depending on capacity class
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from 2032: very low GWP limits across many segments
Additional rules apply to servicing and the use of virgin versus recycled refrigerants.
Offer
What we take away from this
From a technical and strategic perspective, several key conclusions can be drawn:
1. Compliance alone is not sufficient
Solutions that only meet the next regulatory step may face renewed pressure within a few years. Long-term viability requires a broader perspective.
2. Refrigerant choice shapes the entire system
Safety concepts, system architecture, logistics, serviceability and total cost of ownership are all strongly influenced by the selected refrigerant.
3. Natural refrigerants are gaining strategic relevance
They offer strong regulatory security but require deeper system expertise and adapted designs.
4. Globally deployable platforms become a competitive advantage
Systems designed to comply with multiple regulatory regions reduce risk and accelerate time-to-market.
5. Early system assessments create flexibility
A structured evaluation of existing and future systems enables informed decisions rather than reactive adaptations.
Conclusion
The new F-Gas Regulation represents a clear directional shift rather than an isolated restriction. It calls for cooling and temperature control to be treated not as peripheral equipment, but as an integral part of machine and process design.
Companies that address this transition early and systematically position themselves for long-term technical and economic success.
