Adaptation of refrigerants to the AIM “Sectoral Control” Act regarding GWP limits

As the production, importation and consumption of HFC refrigerants continues to be phased out in accordance with the U.S. EPA Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM), the HVACR industry is preparing for a second level of requirements limiting the use of HFCs. Often referred to as ‘sectoral controls’, they will be implemented in line with the Technology Change provisions of the Act and will commence as early as January 1, 2025. As the name suggests, this program has been strategically designed to help enable a smooth transition away from HFCs and support the adoption of A2L refrigerants . Generally, these rules require the establishment of GWP limits for refrigerants based on specific applications, including refrigeration, air conditioning, heat pumps and others. As dozens of sectors and sub-sectors are identified in the technology transformation framework, focusing on just these few GWP limits – which apply to most industry applications – can help you approach and plan:

GWP <700 - such as air conditioning in residential buildings and small commercial facilities, large refrigeration units

Many important sectors – including residential and light commercial air conditioning and large chillers for applications such as industrial systems and ice rinks – require the use of a refrigerant with a GWP limit of <700 (100-year AR4) in new equipment. For some systems, these requirements will come into force as early as 2025.

As a result, systems originally designed to work with refrigerants such as R-410A, R-507 and R-134a will now be designed to work with lower GWP gases such as R-513A, R-454B and R-454C .

In some of these sectors, the new limits will require a transition from traditional low-toxic, non-flammable A1 refrigerants to low-flammable A2L products. This change highlights the enormous industry-wide effort to train and prepare service technicians to work with A2L refrigerants.

GWP <300 - includes but is not limited to food retail and industrial refrigeration

A GWP limit of <300 has been established for certain mid-size systems – those with a maximum load size of 200 pounds – commonly found in the food retail and industrial refrigeration sectors. Systems such as remote cold room and freezer condensing units, cascade systems and similar units that use R-404A and R-134a are currently being transitioned to lower GWP A2L products such as R-454A. These A2Ls offer better or equivalent performance in terms of efficiency and energy efficiency compared to older gases.

GWP <150 - from vending machines to large supermarket systems and beyond

The <150 GWP limit has been "pressure tested" in the mobile sector, which began switching vehicle air conditioning from R-134a to R-1234yf more than a decade ago. As a result, many HVACR professionals are already familiar with the <150 GWP limit, which will soon impact several additional sectors of the stationary side of the industry.

In particular, sectors requiring a GWP limit <150 obejmują jedne z najmniejszych zastosowań — takie jak automaty sprzedające, urządzenia wolnostojące i lodówki dla gospodarstw domowych — oraz niektóre z największych, takie jak systemy sprzedaży detalicznej w supermarketach z ładunkiem > 200 lb size. As with other segments that used higher GWP HFCs such as R-134a and R-404A, many store systems and architectures impacted by upcoming sector controls have evolved to operate on the new A2L refrigerants , such as R-454C, offering a GWP of 148. Additionally, other larger systems use R-744 (carbon dioxide), and where safety standards allow, some use highly flammable A3 refrigerants such as R-290 ( propane).

The AIM Technology Transitions Act was established to accelerate the transition toward solutions that support decarbonization where and when it makes sense for the HVACR industry. The apps listed above offer some important examples, and these rules go into a lot of detail. However, focusing on these three main groups is a solid starting point. Understanding which refrigerants comply with sector controls and which are likely to be used can be helpful as the transformation intensifies in the coming years.