The DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU) has partnered with Hudson Technologies Inc. (Hudson), one of the largest certified EPA refrigerant reclaimers in the country, to launch a new Refrigerant Recovery and Reclamation (RR&R) Pilot. This first-of-its-kind initiative, led by a utility incentive program, is designed to reduce harmful greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while creating new revenue opportunities for local businesses in the District.
Unlike traditional utility programs that solely measure success in energy savings—megawatts (MW), megawatt-hours (MWh), or million British thermal units (MMBtu)—this effort reduces GHG emissions by incentivizing the proper recovery of refrigerants during servicing, to reduce the practice of venting refrigerants into the atmosphere. Because the DCSEU’s performance goals are based on total GHG reductions, including both energy and non-energy measures, the organization is uniquely positioned to support and fund this innovative climate-focused strategy.
As part of the pilot’s early success, Hugee Corporation, a local Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) operating as a HVAC and refrigeration provider since 1984, has already recovered and returned more than 200 pounds of refrigerant, saving approximately 400,000 pounds of equivalent CO2 emissions. These savings are equivalent to avoiding the CO2 emissions from burning over 20,000 gallons of gasoline. This effort helps prevent potent greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere and provides the District with an additional avenue to reduce its carbon footprint.
“Our partnership with Hudson ensures that refrigerants are handled responsibly within the District and kept out of the atmosphere, directly aligning with the District’s climate action goals, while also supporting contractors to ensure that recovery is happening,” said Ben Burdick, Managing Director. “The early results from Hugee Corporation are promising and demonstrate both the feasibility and importance of this work.”
A 2020 study issued by the U.S. EPA showed that refrigerant recovery rates in the U.S. were extremely low and that in 2020, only 1.6 percent of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) sold in the U.S. were from reclaimed sources. This is due to logistical, cost, and educational challenges, which can make recovery expensive for contractors. Through this pilot with the DCSEU, Hudson provides HVAC contractors with training on recovery best practices, supplies proper storage containers for used refrigerants, covers shipping and logistics, and offers their own financial incentives for recovered refrigerant in addition to those provided by the DCSEU. This training and financial incentive helps contractors offset the costs of best-in-class recovery equipment and processes while also providing an additional revenue stream for their business.
Refrigerants, when leaked into the atmosphere, can have thousands of times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. By ensuring that refrigerants are reclaimed and recycled by contractors working on DCSEU programs — like the Affordable Home Electrification Program (AHEP), which decommissions older HVAC systems — this pilot not only protects the environment but also strengthens local businesses, creates green jobs, bolsters emissions reductions within existing DCSEU programs, and contributes to a circular refrigerant economy in the HVAC industry. Importantly, the pilot converts what was an expense for contractors into a revenue stream while also providing all these benefits.
This pilot was developed with direct technical support from the clean energy nonprofit VEIC, which operates the DCSEU and is a leader in decarbonization program solutions, planning, and pilot development. Hudson Technologies, with its decades of expertise in refrigerant recovery and reclamation, is also a critical partner in ensuring that recovered refrigerants are reprocessed to meet or exceed industry standards for reuse.
“Hudson is proud to partner with the DCSEU in this first of a kind utility-sponsored GHG emissions reduction program. According to the 2024 RMI report, refrigerant recovery, reclamation and reuse can result in 70 percent less emissions compared to using newly manufactured refrigerant,” said Kate Houghton Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing at Hudson. “Increasing awareness around the importance of recovering refrigerant from every unit, and providing incentives to contractors for doing so is key to expanding the growth of reclamation practices and we are excited to see the early results of this innovative program.”
The RR&R Pilot reflects the DCSEU’s commitment to environmental leadership, innovation, and support for local CBEs. By engaging local contractors and businesses, the pilot provides both environmental and economic benefits to the District.
