F-gases under pressure: new certification rules and the future of the refrigeration industry

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The HVACR industry in a new reality: certification, safety, and alternative refrigerants

In the years 2022-2024, nearly 430,000 investments involving heat pumps were carried out in Poland. In the vast majority of cases, these installations were equipped with air heat pumps operating on fluorinated refrigerants, known as F-gases. These solutions, although popular, have for years been subject to increasingly restrictive regulations related to the impact of the refrigerants used in them on climate change. Legal regulations have been introduced aimed at limiting the use of these substances, including heat pumps based on F-gases.

In accordance with Regulation (EU) 517/2014, heat pump installers are required to hold specialist F-gas certificates, and many users must register their operated equipment in the Central Operator Register (CRO) and carry out regular leak checks of the installation.

Regulation 2024/573, which entered into force on 11 March 2024, introduces changes to the required qualifications of technical personnel servicing refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump equipment.

Member States are working on adapting national regulations to EU rules, which distinguish the following categories of certificates:

  • certificate A1 certifying that holders may carry out specific activities with respect to fluorinated greenhouse gases and hydrocarbons;
  • certificate A2 certifying that holders may carry out specific activities with respect to fluorinated greenhouse gases and hydrocarbons, limited to equipment with a charge size of less than 3 kg or less than 6 kg in the case of hermetically sealed systems that are labelled as such;
  • certificate B certifying that holders may carry out specific activities with respect to carbon dioxide (CO2);
  • certificate C certifying that holders may carry out specific activities

with respect to ammonia (NH3);

  • certificate D certifying that holders may carry out the recovery of fluorinated greenhouse gases from stationary refrigeration equipment, air conditioning equipment, heat pumps, and refrigeration units of refrigerated trucks and trailers in the case of equipment containing less than 3 kg of fluorinated greenhouse gases or less than 6 kg in the case of hermetically sealed systems that are labelled as such;
  • certificate E certifying that holders may carry out leak checks provided that such activity does not involve opening the refrigerant circuit containing fluorinated greenhouse gases.

Another significant change concerns the validity of issued certificates, which until now were indefinite. Existing certificates and training completion documents remain valid, however their holders must attend a course or retake an exam for the first time within a maximum of 5 years from the entry into force of the regulation. Renewal of certificates every 7 years will also be mandatory. Training and examination programmes are additionally set to include natural alternatives to HFCs and energy efficiency issues. More detailed guidelines will only be known once the Polish legal acts enter into force.

The list of equipment subject to mandatory periodic leak checks has been expanded to include refrigeration units installed in light refrigerated vehicles, intermodal containers, and railway wagons. Furthermore, leak checks are also required for air conditioning systems and heat pumps in heavy-duty vehicles, vans, agricultural, mining, and construction machinery, trains, metro systems, trams, and aircraft. In the case of air conditioning systems in mobile equipment, a training completion certificate will be sufficient and no leak check schedule will apply, provided they are covered by periodic inspections that include leak checks. The obligation to carry out leak checks for mobile equipment — other than refrigeration units on refrigerated trucks (weight >3.5t) and refrigerated trailers — will come into effect 3 years after the entry into force of the Regulation.

Increasingly restrictive regulations with regard to F-gases are causing an increase in the market share of equipment filled with alternative refrigerants. A significant proportion consists of equipment filled with flammable and highly flammable refrigerants.

Working with refrigeration systems filled with flammable refrigerants involves an increased level of risk. When working with substances of this group, particular caution should be exercised. With the safety of technicians and installation users in mind, the PROZON Foundation, in collaboration with IGLOO, has developed original training courses that will comprehensively prepare technicians for the installation of heat pumps and the safe servicing of equipment filled with flammable gases.

The first training module covers the principles of correct and safe installation of a monoblock propane heat pump. The training includes a specialist scope that grants participants IGLOO company authorisation. Participants will learn how to correctly carry out hydraulic and electrical installation, what the manufacturer’s requirements are in these areas to ensure proper operation of the equipment and maintain the warranty. Furthermore, they will become familiar with the requirements and recommendations regarding the use of buffer tanks, domestic hot water (DHW) storage tanks, and methods of integration with peak heat sources. This module contains detailed information on equipment configuration and recommended methods of ensuring frost protection.

An integral part of the training is advanced practice in the safe recovery of flammable refrigerants. Training participants will have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the latest technologies, refrigerant properties, and protective measures that are essential for minimising the risks associated with working with flammable refrigerants. Practical exercises will allow participants to develop their skills in the safe handling of these substances during installation, maintenance, servicing, and leak checks, which is a key aspect ensuring not only compliance with legal standards, but also the protection of people’s health and lives.

In order to ensure the highest quality of training, an IGLOO MultiTherma heat pump was used for the practical part of the training. All MultiTherma heat pumps are manufactured from the highest quality components based on the natural working fluid R290 (Propane). These are monoblock units, with the possibility of configuration as hydro-split. These devices are characterised by many innovative solutions, including multi-point refrigerant injection into the evaporator and a three-stage refrigerant subcooling system, which significantly improves their energy efficiency. Furthermore, MultiTherma units are also characterised by an exceptionally functional application, enabling remote monitoring and control of heat pump operation, providing convenience for both the user and the service technician. In the event of a fault, the service technician can remotely diagnose any operational irregularities displayed on clear charts through communication with the heat pump, and in the event of component damage, the faulty element is automatically indicated on a 3D diagram of the unit, showing the location where service intervention is required.

IGLOO has taken care of the comfort and safety of heat pump users down to the smallest detail. The manufacturer allows its units to regulate capacity across an exceptionally wide range from 100% to 15%. Such a range of regulation is unparalleled among competing products on the market and translates into a highly flexible adaptation of these heat pumps to the varying thermal loads of buildings, which in practice means the absence of frequent compressor starts and stops at higher outdoor temperatures — in other words, the elimination of so-called cycling during transitional periods.

The combination of the PROZON Foundation’s many years of training experience and IGLOO’s modern technologies has made it possible to meet the dynamically growing needs of the refrigeration and air conditioning industry.

When there was no Polish F-gas act yet, the PROZON Foundation helped obtain European qualifications in cooperation with the Czech and subsequently the Slovak refrigeration association. This was a significant step towards meeting the needs of the Polish refrigeration and air conditioning industry, which required F-gas certificates for its personnel in order to work in accordance with European standards.

Now, PROZON is meeting the next challenges and needs of the industry brought about by the entry into force of EU Regulation 2024/573, continuing the European REAL Alternatives training programme.

As part of the programme, technicians have been trained for years in the field of flammable refrigerants and carbon dioxide, focusing not only on theory but above all on the development of practical skills. A range of teaching materials and aids have been prepared, and the carefully selected training staff combines academic knowledge with many years of practical experience. The comprehensive programme covers such topics as safety, automation and monitoring, testing and diagnostics.

The training takes place at a training centre equipped with technologically advanced refrigeration circuits. A second branch of the PROZON Foundation was established in Grabce Józefpolskie, where a refrigerant mixture separation installation was built as part of the Refrigerants LIFE Cycle project carried out in the years 2019–2024. The separation installation allows for the reclamation of nearly 100% of waste refrigerants handed over for disposal and enables their reuse on the market.

The main process involves the distillation-based separation of mixtures on rectification columns combined with an adsorption process, which ensures high separation efficiency. The technology applied has opened up new cooperation opportunities for service companies. Thanks to the separation methods employed, even mixed refrigerants can be separated and their components utilised in the reclamation process. This solution is particularly significant due to the limited availability of synthetic refrigerants in the coming years. Both service companies and installation users benefit from this process. The recovered refrigerant handed over to the PROZON Foundation enables the extension of the service life of installations filled with refrigerants subject to service bans.

The second part of the hall has been designated for the implementation of the EU project RE-ELECTRO 4 LIFE, which involves the construction of a WEEE processing plant along with diagnostic technology for the reuse of dismantled parts from refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) equipment. The use of recovered parts for repairs will help reduce the amount of waste generated and the need to purchase new equipment. This is another investment by the PROZON Foundation in a circular economy business model, which aims to extend the life of waste materials. Installation work on the plant components and optimisation of the diagnostic technology are currently underway.

The actions taken by the PROZON Foundation in recent years are a response to changes in legislation, growing customer expectations, and the need to conduct business in a modern and responsible manner.

Igloo: Daria Wątroba, Marcin Kowacz, Bartłomiej Adamski

PROZON Foundation: Paweł Mitkowski, Kamila Klubińska