The HVAC firm says accelerated timeframe for high-GWP refrigerants will place pressure on heat pump manufacturers to redesign products
HVAC manufacturer Blue Star says Government plans to reduce fluorinated gas being placed on the UK market will require strategic planning and new design approaches from heat pump producers.
A consultation launched at the start of November proposed an accelerated timeframe to reduce HFC quotas, replacing a 79% reduction by 2030 with a 98.6% reduction by 2048.
Blue Star’s vice president of sales, Jason Tinsley, said a rapid HFC phase-down would increase the need to design heat pumps suited for low-GWP refrigerants “from day one”.
“Retrofitting later is far more challenging, not just from a technical perspective, but commercially, as it exposes manufacturers to supply chain uncertainty and rising costs,” he said.
“By taking a strategic approach early on, manufacturers can protect long-term investment, maintain compliance across different regions and build resilience into their product portfolios as the refrigerant landscape continues to shift,” he said.
The proposed new timeframe would apply from 2027, reducing the HFC quota for the English, Welsh and Scottish markets by 46.1 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2050.
Using a baseline of HFCs placed on the market between 2015-2019, the plans would revise the quantity allowed in 2027-2029 from 24% of the baseline to 16.2%. By mid-century this figure would drop to 1.4% of the baseline.
Blue Star, which supports HVAC brands in developing heat pump solutions, said the changes created new commercial and technical considerations for manufacturers.
Those products using higher-GWP refrigerants, such as R410 and R32, may see supply chains tightening and cost rises creating a need for mid-cycle product redesigns.
The firm also noted that switching to low-GWP alternatives, such as propane, HFP blends or CO2, would also result in new engineering, safety and performance characteristics.
Environmental groups have welcomed the new timeframe, but suggested the UK government move faster still, citing the EU’s F-gas regulations which includes specific product bans.
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