AEFYT champions the value of data in the refrigeration sector

The Association of Refrigeration and Related Technologies Companies (AEFYT), which represents over members worth over €4.1 billion euros in turnover and more than 20,000 employees, held its 2026 Technical Conference, cementing its position as a key forum for strategic analysis within the sector at a particularly significant juncture marked by the regulatory targets for 2030 and 2032.

The event brought together key players from the cold chain sector to address, using a data-driven approach, the structural challenges that will shape the development of the sector over the coming years: the real capacity to adapt to regulations, the implementation of Energy Saving Certificates (CAEs), the impact of the F-Gas Regulation, digitalisation, and the availability of technical talent.

Mar Blázquez Gómez, Deputy Director-General for Energy Efficiency and Access to Energy at the Ministry for Energy Transition and the Demographic Challenge, who outlined the challenges facing the sector in the medium and long term, highlighting the example of the successful public-private partnership between MITERD and AEFYT. The session was attended by numerous representatives from companies that use refrigeration installations.

Data and regulation

Under the theme “DATA: the 2032 challenge”, the conference identified data as the key element upon which the sector’s transformation must be built. AEFYT's messaging is clear: data is no longer merely a tool for analysis, but has become a strategic decision-making framework. In a complex environment, data enables us to gauge the imbalance between regulation and the market, identify bottlenecks, prioritise investments and anticipate risks.

Another conclusion drawn was that, as it stands, the current refrigerant market is not in line with the 2030–2032 targets. A significant proportion still relies on gases with a GWP above 750, which will no longer be permitted in new installations from 2030 and in maintenance work from 2032. This creates a gap between the reality of the installed fleet and the regulatory framework, highlighting that the challenge is not a technological one, but rather one of the speed of adaptation.

A sector under pressure

Furthermore, the event made it clear that the sector is simultaneously facing regulatory pressure, a shortage of skilled staff, the need for digitalisation and cost pressures. The sector is growing, but its ability to deliver is not keeping pace. The report also examined talent and digitalisation, noting that without people, no transition is possible. The shortage of qualified technicians limits our ability to carry out the work. Meanwhile, digitalisation makes it possible to improve efficiency, optimise maintenance and scale up operations.

The event also provided an opportunity to explore in greater depth the role that Energy Saving Certificates will play as a tool for promoting energy efficiency and accelerating investment. In the digital sphere, CAEs are no longer seen merely as a theoretical concept, but are becoming a tool that has a real impact on the cost-effectiveness of projects and the modernisation of facilities.

In this context, the conference highlighted AEFYT’s value to the government and other institutions as a technical partner for the sector, providing expert judgement, clarifying the interpretation of regulations, and bringing rigour to particularly sensitive issues such as the development of the F-Gas Regulation, its revisions, and the practical application of instruments such as CAEs. This value was recognised by the various government officials present.

Conclusions

In conclusion, it was made clear that “without data, it is impossible to gauge the scale of the challenge; without talent, it is impossible to carry out the work; and without planning, it will not be possible to meet regulatory deadlines”. Finally, the following official statement was issued: “The refrigeration sector faces an unprecedented challenge in terms of transformation and implementation capacity. It is not simply a matter of having technological solutions at our disposal, but of being able to implement them in a timely and appropriate manner in order to meet regulatory requirements. In this context, data becomes an essential tool for gauging the scale of the challenge, prioritising decisions and guiding investment. “Without the right combination of data, talent and planning, any mismatch between market realities and the regulatory framework could pose one of the main risks to the sector’s future.”