Refrigerant Transition: Between Environmental Goals and Operational Challenges for the Refrigeration Industry

The transition to low-impact refrigerants is now a concrete reality for the HVAC/R industry, but the path is far from linear. While regulations are accelerating the HFC phase-out, the practical challenges of implementing these new solutions are becoming increasingly evident.

Today, the challenge is no longer whether to change refrigerant, but how to do it effectively, maintaining performance, safety, and operational continuity.

A transition driven by regulation, but complex in practice

The European and international regulatory framework is imposing a progressive reduction in high-GWP refrigerants , with increasingly stringent limits on their use, maintenance and new installations.

This scenario is pushing the industry toward alternative solutions , but it also introduces new complexities. Companies must carefully plan timelines, investments, and technological strategies, avoiding risks related to refrigerant availability and future system compliance.

The transition, therefore, is not just regulatory: it is an operational transformation that involves the entire life cycle of the plants.

Operational criticalities: retrofit, compatibility and system management

One of the most delicate aspects concerns the adaptation of existing systems . Many existing systems were designed for refrigerants that are currently being phased out, and their conversion is not always straightforward.

The main difficulties concern:

• compatibility between new refrigerants and existing components
• need for modifications to compressors, lubricants and control systems
• management of different operating conditions (pressures, temperatures, safety)
• plant downtime and costs

In many cases, retrofitting represents an intermediate solution, but requires in-depth technical evaluations to ensure long-term reliability and performance.

New refrigerants, new operating conditions

Switching to alternative refrigerants – such as CO₂ , ammonia , or hydrocarbons – introduces different operating characteristics than traditional fluids.

Some refrigerants operate at higher pressures, others are flammable or require specific safety conditions. This requires significant changes in system design and management, which must be adapted to new technical and regulatory standards.

The transition, therefore, does not only concern the choice of fluid, but the entire system.

Skills and change management

One of the most critical factors that emerged concerns the issue of skills. The introduction of new refrigerants and technologies requires significant updating of technical knowledge throughout the supply chain.

Installers, maintenance technicians and designers must acquire specific skills to manage:

• safety of new refrigerants
• new design logics
• more advanced control systems
• updated maintenance procedures

The risk, in the absence of adequate training, is that of further slowing down the transition or compromising the performance of the systems.

Towards a more structured transition

The picture that emerges is that of a necessary but complex transition, in which environmental objectives and operational reality must find a balance.

For the refrigeration sector, the transition to new refrigerants cannot be approached as a simple technological upgrade, but requires a strategic vision that integrates regulations, design, and plant management.

The ability to plan interventions, evaluate the most appropriate solutions, and develop appropriate skills will be crucial to transforming a regulatory challenge into an opportunity for innovation and growth.