R290 and the F-Gas phase-down: what it means for your next refit

The F-Gas Regulation controls HFC refrigerants through a quota system: the total volume of HFCs allowed onto the market falls on a fixed schedule, and it keeps falling. That's not a one-off change; it's a direction of travel that's been running for years and has further to go.

For a retailer specifying new refrigeration, the practical effect is straightforward: HFC-based systems don't become illegal overnight, but the refrigerant that keeps them running gets scarcer and more expensive over the life of the equipment. A cabinet bought today on HFC refrigerant is a cabinet whose running costs are tied to a shrinking market, not a fixed one.

R290 (propane) and CO2 (R744) are the two natural refrigerants doing most of the replacement work. They land in different places: R290 tends to suit self-contained and plug-in cabinets, where refrigerant charge per circuit is naturally limited, a relevant point given R290's A3 flammability classification and the installation limits that come with it. CO2 transcritical systems are more common on larger centralised racks serving multiple cabinets from one plant room.

If you're comparing quotes, it's worth asking directly what refrigerant a system uses and why. A lower price on paper for an HFC system doesn't account for where that refrigerant's cost and availability are heading over a 10–15 year equipment life.