The event will take place in-person in Brussels and we warmly welcome people to join us in the L42 Building. For those who can't attend in-person will have the opportunity to follow the event online. Just register for an online ticket and you will receive the link to the livestream before the event by email.

The Commission’s proposal for a revision of the F-Gas Regulation, published in April 2022, intends to phase-down fluorinated gas (F-Gas) emissions by 98% until 2050. F-gases, such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), are the most commonly used refrigerants in heat pumps. The phase-down has sparked discussions throughout the RACHP industry as it could become an additional barrier to the market uptake of heat pumps.

Others argue that HFCs used in heat pumps can leak into the atmosphere and they are highly potent greenhouse gases with a very high Global Warming Potential (GWP), which are much stronger than CO2. Alternative solutions are available on the market already today, being heat pumps based on natural refrigerants such as propane or CO2.

The TRI-HP project worked on innovative heating & cool systems with a high share of renewables and based on heat pumps using natural refrigerants. In Q1 of 2023 the European Parliament and Council will start the inter-institutional negotiations on the F-Gas Regulation which is why for its final event TRI-HP wants to bring together researchers, industry stakeholders and policy-makers to further discuss the potential and evolutions of heat pumps based on natural refrigerants and if the market is ready for the phase-down(/out) of HFCs by 2050.

The event is divided into two parts: In the first session we will hear from research experts and industry stakeholders what heat pumps based on natural refrigerants are, the application of different refrigerants such as propane or CO2, their market readiness and social barriers of heat pumps in general.

The second session will focus on the F-Gas Regulation Revision, the ongoing negotiations and what the opportunities and risks are with a phase-down(/out) of HFCs & HFOs. The session will end with a panel discussion that brings together policy, industry & research experts that represent different sides for an open debate.

AGENDA

14:00 – 15:30: Heat pumps based on natural refrigerants

14:00 – 14:15: TRI-HP in a nutshell

Dr. Daniel Carbonell – Institute for Solar Technology

14:15 – 14:30: Natural refrigerants in heat pumps

Raphael Gerber – Heim AG

14:30 – 14:45: Application of CO2 & propane heat pumps in different sectors

Prof. Dr. Armin Hafner – Norwegian University of Science & Technology

14:45 – 15:00: Market for heat pumps based on natural refrigerants

Dr. Sabrina Munao - ATMOsphere

15:00 – 15:15: Social acceptance of heat pumps

Dr. Thomas Friedrich & Dr. Immanuel Stieß – Institute for Social-Ecological Research

15:15 – 15:30: Q&A

15:30 – 16:00: Coffee Break

16:00 – 18:00: F-Gas Regulation: Phasing down HFCs & HFOs in heat pumps

16:00 – 16:20: Overview of the F-Gas Regulation Revision

DG CLIMA – European Commission*

16:20 – 16:35: Negotiations in ENVI on the F-Gas Regulation Revision

Stelios Kympouropoulos – Shadow-Rapporteur (EPP) ENVI Committee for European Parliament

16:35 – 16:50: Opinion of European Economic and Social Committee on the Revision

Kęstutis Kupšys - Member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)

16:50 – 17:05: Comparing the use of HFCs & HFOs with natural refrigerants in heat pumps

Prof. Dr. Michael Kauffeld – Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences

17:05 - 17:20: Risks of rapid deployment of heat pumps based on natural refrigerants

Coen van de Sande - Association of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heat Pump contractors (AREA)

17:20 – 18:00: Panel Discussion on the phase-down of HFCs & HFOs in heat pumps:

• Thomas Nowak – European Heat Pump Association
• Veerle Beelaerts – European Heating Industry
• Davide Sabbadin – European Environmental Bureau
• Prof. Dr. Michael Kauffeld – Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences

*DG CLIMA informed the organisers that due to the ongoing inter-institutional negotiations in this period, a last-minute cancellation is possible.

REGISTER HERE.