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Hydrocarbon (not a fluorinated gas) · ASHRAE 34 safety group A3

R-290 GWP and CO₂e

Propane. Current and expanding, because it sits outside the F-Gas phase-down entirely. The trade-off is flammability, not compliance paperwork.

Great Britain

3

Retained Regulation (EU) No 517/2014, Annex IV (non-fluorinated substances used in mixture GWP calculation)

EU / Northern Ireland

0.02

Regulation (EU) 2024/573, Annex VI (non-fluorinated substances, AR6 basis)

These two figures genuinely differ. Use the one for the regime the equipment is in — Great Britain, or Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework.

Charge in kg → tonnes CO₂e

t CO₂e = charge (kg) × GWP ÷ 1,000. This figure, not the charge in kilograms, is what sets the statutory leak-check frequency.

Charget CO₂e (GB)t CO₂e (EU/NI)
1 kg0.000.00
2 kg0.010.00
5 kg0.010.00
10 kg0.030.00
20 kg0.060.00
50 kg0.150.00
100 kg0.300.00

Leak-check thresholds in kg

Propane is not a fluorinated greenhouse gas, so the F-Gas leak-check thresholds do not apply to it in either regime — there is no charge size at which a statutory F-Gas leak check is triggered. The values above exist in the annexes only so that the GWP of a *mixture* containing propane can be calculated. What does govern a propane system is its flammability: it is an A3, and the charge limits, ventilation and electrical requirements come from the relevant safety standard and the site risk assessment, not from F-Gas.

Where you meet R-290

  • •Monobloc air-to-water heat pumps
  • •Small integral refrigeration and process cooling units
  • •Small chillers where an outdoor or plant-room safety case supports it

Maintenance checklists for plant that runs on it

Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) maintenance checklistChiller maintenance checklistDirect Expansion (DX) Unit maintenance checklist
Work out a specific chargeCompare all 10 refrigerants

Frequently asked questions

What is the GWP of R-290?
It depends which regime you are in. In Great Britain it is 3; in the EU and Northern Ireland it is 0.02. Both are correct — they come from different annexes valuing the same substance on different assessment-report bases, and the page above cites each one.
How do I convert an R-290 charge into tonnes CO₂e?
Multiply the charge in kilograms by the GWP and divide by 1,000. A 10 kg charge of R-290 is 0.03 tonnes CO₂e in Great Britain and 0.00 tonnes in Northern Ireland. That figure is what sets the statutory leak-check frequency, not the charge in kilograms.
Does R-290 work differently in Northern Ireland?
Propane is not a fluorinated greenhouse gas, so the F-Gas leak-check thresholds do not apply to it in either regime — there is no charge size at which a statutory F-Gas leak check is triggered. The values above exist in the annexes only so that the GWP of a *mixture* containing propane can be calculated. What does govern a propane system is its flammability: it is an A3, and the charge limits, ventilation and electrical requirements come from the relevant safety standard and the site risk assessment, not from F-Gas.
Where is R-290 used?
Monobloc air-to-water heat pumps; Small integral refrigeration and process cooling units; Small chillers where an outdoor or plant-room safety case supports it. Current and expanding, because it sits outside the F-Gas phase-down entirely. The trade-off is flammability, not compliance paperwork.