For several years, the regulatory landscape concerning refrigerants used in air conditioning and refrigeration equipment has been in flux, but that is now changing. Not only have certain states recently mandated the phasedown of some HFCs, but last December, Congress passed the American Innovation in Manufacturing (AIM) Act, which gives the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the authority to phase down the consumption and production of HFC refrigerants and establish sector-based limits. While the details have not yet been finalized, the general approach for the limits are consistent with the Kigali amendment, which calls for an 85% phasedown of HFC production and consumption over a 16-year timeframe. EPA has until October to issue regulations that detail how it will administer the phasedown.
Chiller OEMs have been preparing for this phasedown for years, and they have been working to identify alternative refrigerants that not only comply with these new laws but are also efficient, safe, and cost-effective.