Request a quoteF-gas 2027: what it means for your chillers
From 1 January 2027, new rules in the EU limit the refrigerants allowed in new chillers and heat pumps, and the HFC quota in Great Britain takes its next step down. Here is what changes and what to do.
- EU: new chillers above 12 kW placed on the market from 1 January 2027 must use refrigerants with a GWP below 750, and below 150 for chillers of 12 kW or less.
- The rules apply to new equipment placed on the market. Installed equipment can keep running.
- Great Britain: the HFC quota steps down on 1 January 2027 under the existing rules.
- Leak checks and records still apply to the equipment you already run.
What Regulation (EU) 2024/573 changes in 2027.
From 1 January 2027, Annex IV of the EU F-gas Regulation stops new chillers and several types of heat pump being placed on the market with higher GWP refrigerants. An exception applies where safety requirements at the site prevent the use of a lower GWP refrigerant, and this must be demonstrated.
- Chillers of 12 kW or less: GWP below 150
- Chillers above 12 kW: GWP below 750
- Self contained heat pumps and air conditioning up to 50 kW: GWP below 150
- Split air to water heat pumps of 12 kW or less: GWP below 150
The HFC quota steps down.
Great Britain has its own F-gas rules. Under the existing phase-down, the amount of HFC that can be placed on the market falls by about 22.6 per cent on 1 January 2027. In May 2026 Defra delayed its proposed further changes to the phase-down for more work, so the existing step still applies.
Less HFC on the market usually means refrigerants such as R410A and R134a become harder to buy and more expensive to top up.
Plan replacements before a failure forces them.
Equipment you already run can keep running and can still be serviced. The risk is a failure on old equipment when replacement units, spare parts or refrigerant are hard to find.
- List your chillers and heat pumps with their refrigerant, charge and age
- Check which units hold 5 tonnes CO2 equivalent or more, and need leak checks
- Plan replacements with lower GWP refrigerants such as R290, R744 or low GWP blends
- Allow for the design and safety rules of flammable refrigerants under BS EN 378
Where these figures come from.
Regulation (EU) 2024/573 on fluorinated greenhouse gases, Annex IV. Defra decision on the GB HFC phase-down, reported by Cooling Post on 16 May 2026, with the size of the 2027 step quoted from FETA. Global warming potential values from the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, as used in F-gas legislation.