TRAINING F-Gas: what’s next?
The F-Gas Regulations were introduced to reduce emissions by 79% between 2015 and 2030, eventually stopping the use of HFCs with a high global warming potential (GWP). According to recent research, however, some sectors are still well behind when it comes to meeting the regulations. Mark Krull, director at Logic Certification discusses the lay of the F-Gas land and explains what installers need to do to keep themselves and their customers ahead of the curve.
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recent poll by Emerson showed that just under half of European SME retailers had started work to adjust their business to meet the F-Gas Regulations. This particular survey focused on the food and beverage retail sector, but may be representative of a number of industries due to lack of understanding and rapidly changing parameters. 2018 marked the start of a new phase of the F-Gas Regulations, with big cuts planned for high GWP gases, aiming for around a 40% reduction compared with just 7% in 2017. According to Emerson’s survey, just 40% of respondents classed as SMEs were aware of these changes. Larger retailers did not fare much better at around 60%.
As an acr installer, it is your duty to be aware of what is happening and to help your customers through the process and keep your business up- to-date with the latest legislation.
Here is an overview of what to expect and how it might affect you:
New gases: as an installer, your primary concern will be the changes to the F-Gas Regulations that affect your job. Some of the refrigerants being brought in to replace the older, A1 F-Gases are more flammable, in particular A2L. There is guidance available from the Federation of Environmental Trade Associations (FETA) to help installers stay safe. This guidance states that while it is very difficult to ignite A2L gases, some precautions must be taken to prevent accidental build-up of refrigerant – an issue which can occur during system charging, or during service and maintenance. For enclosed units in particular, extract fans are a good option. Spark-free vacuum pumps and refrigerant-reclaim machines
50 August 2018
may be required where gas is concentrated in a small space.
Do not worry too much about A2L, however – it has been widely used in other parts of the world for some time, and is a tried and tested technology.
New equipment: the reality is that much of the F-Gas reliant equipment in circulation uses older types of gases that are increasingly in short supply. This lack of availability is forcing up prices and many end users may feel they will have to upgrade. While upgrade is inevitable at some point, for now, manufacturers are committed to supplying parts throughout the life of the equipment, some of which is still fairly new. The overall aim is to phase out R404A, but this will happen slowly and it is still worth repairing equipment relying on this gas. Maintenance is also essential for preventing leakage, an environmental issue in itself. At the moment, a full VRF system cannot run on R32; VRF applications use greater volumes of refrigerant. A complete ban on high GWP equipment will not come into effect until the complete switch over. Repairs and upgrades present a good business stream for installers. For customers sitting on the fence as to whether they should replace old equipment, it is worth noting that the new generation of gases can also improve efficiency, offering savings long-term for savvy customers. New training: current F-Gas qualifications cover the latest refrigerants, so new entrants to the sector should be up to speed. The issue may lie, however, with existing installers who qualified before the changes. Businesses should make sure all of their engineers are familiar
with this information, regardless of when their qualifications run out.
Installers and maintenance staff have a key part to play in ensuring the F-Gas transition goes smoothly, and those with the right skills will be able to tap into a pool of work that is set to continue to grow and evolve as the 2030 deadline looms closer – a business stream you can feel good about as we strive towards a greener future.
A new
standard in F-Gas training
LCL has developed Level 2 and Level 3 F-Gas qualifications in partner- ship with industry experts, Business Edge.
LCL is the first certification body to introduce a Level 3, splitting out the four different categories to make learning more suitable for operative requirements. The Level 3 qualification is focused on Categories 1 and 2, which comprise the more complex tasks of installation, service and maintenance, and testing and decommissioning.
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