Mechanics heat pumps and air conditioners beware: new F-gas regulation in force

Heat pumps, air conditioning systems have to comply with stricter regulations for refrigerants since Monday. Expert Zohar Tzur explains what exactly is changing for installers and exhorts them to hurry: "You have to know very well what you are doing. 

The F-gases regulation has been revised again. After its introduction in 2010 and revision in 2014/2015, there is now a new regulation. One of the concrete measures in that new F-gases regulation goes into effect on Sept. 29, 2025, and concerns mandatory certification for alternative refrigerants.

'We are busy on all sides with the F-gases file,' says Zohar Tzur, project manager for Legislation and Innovation at the Dutch Association of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Companies (NVKL). More than 450 companies in the professional refrigeration and air conditioning industry are members of NVKL. Tzur's activities include informing members about the new F-gases regulation, and representing their interests to the Dutch government but also in Europe. NVKL is active within AREA; the European umbrella association for refrigeration technology installers. Tzur currently chairs the AREA refrigerants working group. 

Developments 

The revision of the F-gases regulation stems from two major developments. 'First, that is the scaling down and eventual phasing out of refrigerants based on F-gases, with the aim of reducing emissions,' says Tzur. 'That movement is already underway, but is thus being accelerated. From that follows the second point, which is to work more and more with alternative refrigerants such as ammonia, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons.'  

These are also known as natural refrigerants. They are substances with very low GWPs and are not or hardly harmful to the climate. But the application of these alternatives carry certain risks, and hence the mandatory certification. 'Ammonia is one of the oldest and most popular refrigerants. In industry, it has been used for a long time in very large plants, as well as in ice rinks and so on. It's just that it's toxic, so it's very important to know how to handle the refrigerant and how to prevent leaks. For heat pumps and air conditioning, which are increasingly used in the Dutch residential market, manufacturers are moving more and more to propane, and that is highly flammable. So the shift from F-gases toward alternative refrigerants coincides with an increase in the use of refrigeration applications. That makes it even more important that technicians have the right knowledge and skills.'  

As with F-gases, there is certification not only for individuals working with natural refrigerants, but also for companies. That company certification is currently being prepared by the government. 

Skills and knowledge 

The use of natural refrigerants in part requires different skills and knowledge from refrigeration technicians. 'You have to know very well what you are doing, and what the effect of substances can be when they are released,' says Tzur. 'It is also important to know which refrigerants you can replace 1-to-1, and in which situations it is necessary to make adjustments to the installation, such as replacing parts or the oil. Other equipment and tools may also be needed, such as pump-off units, as well as non-sparking tools and fans to quickly dissipate any vapors released, and certain protective equipment such as personal gas detection.' 

Timeline updated

The F-gases regulation comes under European legislation. Tzur explains: 'An EU regulation is a European law that is directly applicable in EU member states. All member states must therefore comply with this legal text. However, certain parts of such a regulation may only apply in due course. In the case of the F-gases regulation, for example, these are the product bans. For example, on Jan. 1, 2027, the ban on placing on the market plug-in air conditioners and heat pumps (including monoblocks) with a capacity of less than 50 kW that contain an F-gas with a GWP of 150 or more will take effect.'  

Other product bans also have their own effective dates. Anyway, this new regulation has been adjusted in terms of timeline. The previous version provided for a decrease in the amount of newly produced F-gases that can be put on the European market each year, to about 20 percent by 2030, compared to the amount in 2015. This revision brings that amount down to 5 percent by 2030, and by 2050 it must be reduced to zero. 'That that still takes quite a long time is because you have to take plant depreciation into account,' says Tzur. 'It is obviously not cost-effective and not at all feasible to replace or adapt all existing cooling installations immediately. Hence the deadline, so that the industry has time to adapt.' 

Learning platform 

The time when refrigeration technicians must have their certification for F-gases and natural refrigerants in place is a lot closer: Sept. 29, 2025. From March 29, 2026, certificates will only be issued through the new scheme, including for the alternative refrigerants.  

To help refrigeration technicians (members and non-members of NVKL) prepare for (re)certification, NVKL launched an online learning platform. 'We worked hard on it, and it's just up in the air,' Tzur says with pride. 'On the platform there are about 120 e-learning modules to follow at different knowledge levels and for different certification levels. With an entry test, theory modules and all kinds of exercises. Everything you need to know to pass the theoretical exam is covered. For 45 euros you have access to all course material for six months and can get started. The modules are compact and clear, making them easy to follow between courses. 

Revision of F-gases regulation  

The new regulation came into force in all EU member states on March 11, 2024 and, like previous versions, its main goal is to limit climate change caused by F-gas emissions. This revised version also addresses the use of alternative refrigerants. 

The most important measures are: 

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• accelerating restrictions on the amount of F-gases - also known as "quotas" - that can be placed on the European market each year;

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• eventually banning the marketing of products containing certain F-gases;

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• Certifying companies and individuals with the aim of leak-proof and safe construction and maintenance of installations;

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• Mandatory periodic leak checks for installations (HFCs as well as HFOs) above a certain filling level. 

Certification requirement for alternative refrigerants 

One of the changes is the mandatory certification for working with alternative refrigerants, particularly hydrocarbons (such as propane and isobutane), CO2and ammonia. From Sept. 29, 2025 In the new regulation, mechanics who work with these refrigerants must also be certified. This means that current and future technicians must certify themselves in time to meet the requirements.  

The new rules merge certification for F-gases and natural refrigerants into one certification system. A transition period has been agreed: untilMarch 29, 2026may still issue "old" F-gas certificates and certificates of competence for natural refrigerants. This allows mechanics to still meet the certification requirement. After that date, only certificates according to the new scheme will be issued. 

No later thanMarch 12, 2029all technicians must be certified according to the new system (certificate A1, A2, B, C, D and E). These new certificates apply in all EU member states and are valid for 7 years.