58 ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • New R-1234yf blue e+ units now availab Industry News New Rules of Play for Refrigerants It is a clear move to boost climate protection – from 1 January 2027, the EU is restricting the use of refrigerants in cooling units and chillers with cooling capacities up to 12 kW. From that date on, only cooling units containing a refrigerant with a global warming potential (GWP) lower than 150 may be placed on the market. From 2032, the use of refrigerants containing F-gases will also be prohibited in these products. From 2027, new chillers with a cooling output above 12 kW must only contain refrigerants that have a GWP below 750. Other regulations around the world, such as in the USA, have specified a GWP of 700 for the refrigerants used in this type of equipment since 2025. All this poses a challenge for machine and plant manufacturers, who need to make sure the cooling systems they use are fit In 2027, new rules covering the use of refrigerants in climate control equipment come into force in the EU – with implications for the mechanical and plant engineering sector. To future-proof themselves, companies need to rethink their approach now. Rittal is showing how to switch successfully to modern refrigerants – with no need for complex system changes. for the future and comply with legislation – and sooner rather than later. THE RIGHT CHOICE The key issue is choosing an appropriate refrigerant. The lower the GWP, the more environmentally friendly the refrigerant is – but the more challenging from a safety perspective, too. That’s because a refrigerant’s flammability increases as its GWP drops. Many of the new substances are flammable, so special safety measures are needed. Rittal responded quickly in 2024, switching all its cooling units and chillers over to the refrigerant R-513A, which has a GWP of 631. Starting in the first quarter of 2026, Rittal is taking the next step – switching its entire Blue e+ cooling unit portfolio to the refrigerant R-1234yf, which has a GWP of just 0.5. The Blue e+ chillers will follow suit in the second quarter. As a result, Rittal climate control units will comply with the regulations right up to 2032. Rittal will also act in good time to offer appropriate solutions that will meet the requirements taking effect in 2032. ASSESSED AS LOW RISK Although the refrigerant R-1234yf is flammable, it only ignites at temperatures above 400 degrees Celsius, so it is categorised as mildly flammable (safety classification A2L). The risk analysis conducted by Rittal
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