F- gases are a group of fluorinated man made gases with very high Global Warming Potential (GWP)* & with the ability to persist in the atmosphere for a very long time.

The main types of f-gases are as follows : Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perfluorocarbons (PFCs), Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF6) and Nitrogen Trifluoride (NF3).

F-gases are used widely in MV and HV Switchgear, air conditioning & refrigeration as well as electronics and semiconductor manufacturing.

F-gas examples with their GWP values:

HFC-23 (14,800), SF6 (23,900), NF3 (17,200), C2F6 (2,200), C4F10 (10,300).

*Global Warming Potential (GWP) is a measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere over a specific period, usually 100 years, compared to carbon dioxide.

F-gas Leaks

– do occur…
– may or may not be detected

– Significantly contribute to
global warming

F-gas Regulations*

International regulations exist to reduce F-gas emissions.

Companies must monitor and repair leaks and use Automatic Leak Detection **
… use the best available technology to reduce these emissions.

*Regulation (EU) 2024/573, EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP), Great Britain F-gas Regulations **Equipment containing F-gases with 500 tonnes or more of CO2 must have automatic leak detection systems