---
title: "Lower-GWP Refrigerants: What Is Changing for Industrial Climate Control?"
description: "Refrigerant selection is becoming an increasingly important consideration in the specification of industrial climate control systems.\n\nWhile cooling performance, energy efficiency and reliability remain central to equipment selection, refrigerant regulations are also influencing the development of new cooling technologies."
image: https://blog.rittal.com.au/hubfs/RI_DE_DE_2021%20-%20MIN/fri251424000_K%C3%A4ltemittelumstellung_neu.jpg
---

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# Lower-GWP Refrigerants: What Is Changing for Industrial Climate Control?

By Rittal on Oct 27, 2026, 2:51:16 AM

Refrigerant selection is becoming an increasingly important consideration in the specification of industrial climate control systems.

While cooling performance, energy efficiency and reliability remain central to equipment selection, refrigerant regulations are also influencing the development of new cooling technologies.

In particular, the European Union's F-gas Regulation is introducing progressively tighter limits on the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of refrigerants used in certain cooling applications.

For manufacturers, engineering companies and infrastructure operators working across international markets, these changes are relevant to the long-term specification of enclosure cooling units and industrial chillers.

Rittal is responding by transitioning parts of its Blue e+ climate control portfolio to R-1234yf, a refrigerant with a GWP of just 0.5.

## Understanding the Regulatory Changes

Global Warming Potential measures the climate impact of a greenhouse gas relative to carbon dioxide over a specified period, typically 100 years.

Refrigerants with a higher GWP can have a greater climate impact if released into the atmosphere.

Under the revised European F-gas Regulation, restrictions on fluorinated refrigerants are being introduced according to equipment type, cooling capacity and application.

From 1 January 2027, a GWP limit of 150 will apply to certain categories of new self-contained air-conditioning and heat pump equipment, as well as chillers up to 12 kW, subject to specified exemptions.

Importantly, this is not a blanket requirement covering every industrial climate control unit. The applicable restrictions depend on the equipment category and regulatory conditions.

Australia is not directly subject to the European F-gas Regulation. However, the transition remains relevant to Australian projects involving internationally sourced equipment, global engineering specifications or infrastructure supplied into regulated markets.

## Rittal's Transition to R-1234yf

To address changing refrigerant requirements, Rittal is introducing R-1234yf across selected Blue e+ cooling units and chillers.

With a GWP of 0.5, R-1234yf offers a substantial reduction in refrigerant-related global warming potential compared with conventional refrigerants such as R-134a and R-410A.

The transition is scheduled across the following product ranges:

- Blue e+ cooling units: 0.3–5.5 kW, with the transition commencing in Q1 2026.
- Blue e+ chillers: 1.5–7.0 kW, with the transition commencing in Q2 2026.

New item numbers will identify the updated product variants.

The Blue e+ platform continues to incorporate inverter-driven cooling technology and application-specific temperature control. Depending on the product, features include microchannel heat exchanger technology, multi-voltage capability and international approvals.

The refrigerant change is intended to reduce the climate impact associated with the refrigerant while retaining the established operating characteristics of the cooling systems.

## What This Means for Energy Infrastructure

Electrical infrastructure supporting renewable energy, battery energy storage systems (BESS), substations and power distribution requires climate control matched to the installed equipment and operating environment.

Cooling units help maintain specified enclosure temperatures for power electronics, automation equipment and control systems. Chillers provide liquid cooling for applications requiring higher cooling capacities or a different method of heat transfer.

Refrigerant selection adds another consideration to this engineering process.

For projects involving international equipment specifications, it may be necessary to consider the refrigerant used, its GWP and the regulatory requirements applicable to the destination market.

However, refrigerant GWP and cooling energy efficiency are separate performance considerations. A lower-GWP refrigerant reduces the potential direct climate impact associated with refrigerant emissions, while electricity consumption depends on the efficiency and operation of the cooling system.

Both are relevant when assessing the environmental performance of climate control equipment over its service life.

## Refrigerant Options for Australian Applications

Although the European F-gas Regulation does not directly apply in Australia, the international transition towards lower-GWP refrigerants is influencing product development and equipment availability.

Rittal continues to offer R-513A-based cooling solutions where permitted, providing an alternative for projects with different technical or regulatory requirements.

For Australian engineering teams, the appropriate selection remains dependent on cooling capacity, operating conditions, equipment specifications and applicable refrigerant requirements.

The introduction of R-1234yf expands the available options for projects seeking lower-GWP climate control technology.

## Preparing for Changing Requirements

Refrigerant regulations are becoming an additional consideration in the long-term specification of industrial cooling systems.

Rittal's transition to R-1234yf within its Blue e+ portfolio reflects this development, introducing lower-GWP refrigerant technology across selected cooling units and chillers while maintaining the platform's focus on temperature control and energy-efficient operation.

For energy infrastructure projects, this provides an opportunity to consider both cooling performance and refrigerant selection as part of the wider equipment specification.

Learn more about Rittal's refrigerant transition and the Blue e+ climate control portfolio:

[https://www.rittal.com/au-en/products/PG20231215KLI101/PG20231215KLI103/refrigerant-switchover](https://www.rittal.com/au-en/products/PG20231215KLI101/PG20231215KLI103/refrigerant-switchover?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

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