A spokesperson for Germany’s economy ministry, which is responsible for the unpopular boiler ban, said it was “important” to switch from HFOs to “natural refrigerants” such as propane or carbon dioxide in heat pumps that have a “lower greenhouse gas potential”.
But the bill contains a provision granting the government the authority to stipulate that only natural refrigerants can be used in heat pumps. That would exclude HFOs, which are compounds of hydrogen, fluorine and carbon developed to enable heat transfer in appliances. Yet industry groups say the provision could have a chilling effect on the sector, since many of the pumps sold in Germany use HFOs. According to the VDKF, a German refrigeration and air conditioning trade group, propane-based heat pumps make up less than 5 per cent of the market.
“Uncertainty about what refrigerants are allowed could lead to a situation where the owners of buildings decide to install a gas or biomass heating system — which would lead to much greater emissions,” it said.
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Source: IrishTimes - 🏆 3. / 98 Read more »