ECOS calls for a positive vote for climate-friendly commercial refrigeration!
An important vote concerning climate-friendly alternatives to fluorinated gases has started on 1 March at the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). National representatives have now six weeks to decide whether to allow larger quantities of climate-friendly flammable refrigerants in commercial refrigeration.
The final draft international standard (FDIS) IEC 60335-2-89 provides safety requirements for commercial refrigerating appliances and contains positive amendments to the previous standard, which posed barriers to the use of climate-friendly flammable refrigerants through tight limits to the allowed charge size.
Together with a number of stakeholders, ECOS co-signed a position paper that urges National Committees to vote positively and support the standard.
If the vote is positive, the draft standard would allow up to about 500g of propane in commercial refrigeration, thus paving the way for the increase of climate-friendly technologies in the sector.
On the other hand, a negative vote could result in a delay of an already lengthy process, as well as an attempt to lower the ambition of the FDIS. The main outcome of a negative vote will be in itself another barrier for the deployment of climate-friendly alternatives to refrigerant gases.
The signatories of the paper include:
- ECOS
- AIT Deutschland GmbH
- Climate Advisors Network
- ECODES
- Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA)
- HEAT International GmbH
- Legambiente
- Life ZEROGWP
- NIBE
- North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC)
- shecco
- ZERO Portugal
