The application initiated by CTS and submitted via the Federal Environment Agency for a derogation from the F-Gas Regulation is approved by the EU Commission.
The EU Commission has approved the application initiated by CTS and submitted via the Federal Environment Agency. The so-called Implementing Regulation 2024/2729 as a supplement to the F-Gas Regulation has been published and entered into force on 23.10.24 and is valid until 31.12.2028.
The authorisation includes an exemption for the placing on the market of a total of three types of equipment that contain fluorinated greenhouse gases as refrigerants and fall within the scope of Annex IV point 4 of Regulation (EU) 2024/573, including equipment for environmental simulation for application temperatures below - 50 °C.
The exemption obtained here thus applies to refrigeration systems according to Annex IV point 4 (self-contained refrigeration systems) for environmental simulation, consisting of a test chamber for reproducing various environmental conditions, e.g. time-dependent temperature and humidity, for applications below - 50 °C. This exception was not previously included in the category 4 applicable to environmental simulation equipment.
What was the reason for submitting this application?
Devices (especially compact devices) for environmental simulation tests have been assigned to category 4, ‘self-contained refrigeration systems’ by definition in the current F-Gas Regulation. In this category, a GWP limit of <150 applies to the refrigerants used. Since both flammable and toxic refrigerants are excluded for use in environmental simulation test devices and synthetic refrigerants with GWP <150 are only suitable for a few applications, the only remaining refrigerant is CO2. However, this also sets a limit for the lowest feasible temperature of >-50°C. Applications below -50°C would therefore no longer have been possible with new category 4 appliances.
What does this mean for manufacturers and customers?
The exception applies to all environmental simulation devices that are suitable for application temperatures below -50°C. The customer is not required to prove that tests below -50°C are actually carried out.
This means that devices with a refrigeration cascade that reach a final temperature of e.g. -70°C and contain refrigerants such as R23 and R452a or R449a are still allowed to be offered and placed on the market.
These devices are labelled in accordance with the requirements of the Implementing Regulation. The labelling is supplemented with the important information that the operation of these appliances is possible without restriction also after 31 December 2028.