The EPA AIM Act phases down HFC refrigerants 85% by 2036 with a GWP cap of 700 for new data center cooling equipment by January 2027. Learn what R-410A and R-134a phase-out means for chiller infrastructure.
For most of the past two decades, refrigerant has been a quiet line item in data center operations. It sits inside the chiller or CRAC unit, gets topped off during scheduled maintenance, and otherwise stays invisible. That era is ending. The American Innovation and Manufacturing Act — signed into law in December 2020 — gives the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency authority to phase down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons by 85 percent from historic baseline levels by 2036. The phasedown isn't theoretical. It's already underway, and the data center industry is squarely in its crosshairs. The Timeline Is Not Abstract The AIM Act prescribes a stepped reduction schedule measured against a 2011–2013 production baseline: Year Cumulative Reduction What It Means 2024 10% First allocation cuts take effect 2029 40% Supply tightens significantly; pricing pressure accelerates 2034 70% Majority of currentgeneration refrigerant unavailable for new systems 2036 85% Neartotal phasedown; only reclaimed or exempt quantities available But the number that matters most for data center operators isn't 2036. It's January 1, 2027. That's when the EPA's Technology T