It is becoming more and more absurd: not only that the German federal government is demanding the mass installation of heat pumps in the course of the energy transition, while at the same time announcing electricity rationing for this type of heating. No, now the supposedly climate-friendly heat pumps are also considered to be environmental sinners at the same time: In most cases, their refrigerants contain dangerous gases that are now to be banned throughout the EU – with expensive consequences for heat pump owners.
The refrigerant is the heart of every heat pump: it absorbs heat from the outside, heats up through compression and gives off heat to the house’s heating system. If it cools down again, the cycle starts again. In almost every refrigerant there are so-called gases of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS). These F-gases are not only considered toxic, but also persistent – in other words, they don’t disappear, but rather exist almost forever. They are said to have a carcinogenic effect, cause organ damage and lead to fertility disorders.
For this reason, an EU-wide ban on these PFAS is now being sought – supported by Germany, among others.
The problem: Since PFAS are used in most heat pumps in the coolant, this is tantamount to a heat pump ban. And that when, according to green dreams, six million of these heaters are to be installed in Germany by 2030: 500,000 units are to be added each year. How does that fit together?
Not at all, according to the Federal Association of Heat Pumps (BWP). He criticizes the PFAS ban in heat pumps just as sharply as the threatened electricity rationing. This is hardly surprising, because the politicians have prepared for large sales in the coming years thanks to the appropriate market guidance – and these will falter considerably if the incentive to buy heat pumps fizzles out due to a lack of electricity and a significant proportion of heat pump models suddenly can no longer be sold because of toxic substances. After examining internal documents that were exchanged between the federal government and industry, the Tagesschau also came to the conclusion that “some manufacturers in the association are primarily concerned with being able to sell their heat pump technology with PFAS refrigerants for as long as possible ”.
Whether the promises that highly flammable propane gas can be a viable and environmentally friendly replacement for PFAS will survive the reality check is questionable. It is often doubted that the plans of installing 500,000 new heat pumps every year can be implemented at all in view of the high costs, ongoing delivery bottlenecks and the considerable shortage of craftsmen. If suddenly a whole series of old heat pumps have to be replaced because of PFAS and the entire production has to be quickly switched to models with other refrigerants, the green dreams of the heating transition should burst all the faster like soap bubbles. The federal government generally doesn’t give a damn about reality.
In any case, heat pump owners no longer only have to be prepared for electricity rationing, but also for a replacement of their heating system if the PFAS ban is waved through. Following the green demands for the citizens has really paid off again.